The Adventures of two Bedheads: The Zookeeper
by banshee-hime
Summary: Chiharu was shy, self-conscious and focused on herself at all times. Tetsurō was outgoing, plotting-prone and focused on his team at all times. With a single misunderstanding they realized that they fit perfectly in a strange combination of yelling and affection. It was a 'notice me kōhai' kind of situation. Kuroo/OC
1. The hunt on second-year girls

**Well, here we go.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: The hunt on second-year girls**

Kuroo Tetsurō was not a morning person. This didn't mean that he hated mornings. He was alright with getting up early from time to time. And, he was completely okay with those being 'catapult wakeups'. However, he really _loved_ sleeping in. If he could, he would sleep in, roll around his bed when he woke up and go down for breakfast when it was already noontime. However, it was April. And April meant the beginning of his third and last year of high school.

So, Kuroo was up by five and ready to leave his home in less than half an hour. He knew that he needed to pick up his best friend and make certain that they both got to school on time for their morning practice. His mom was up by the time he was at the door, looking at him with tired eyes and stumbling for her morning cup of coffee.

"Have a good day, Tetsu." She waved him off and he grinned, hand raised in a greeting as he closed the door. Kenma was asleep when he arrived at his home, as usual. Kuroo had a nice chat with his parents and finally managed to drag the sleepy setter out of his home by six, fed and clothed. Really, it was like having a slightly overgrown child.

"Nekomata called in a morning practice and meeting." Kuroo pointed out as they boarded the train, Kenma's eyes never leaving his PSP. There was a new game he was trying to beat, something about needing sixty more hours to do so. Kuroo, honestly, didn't get it. While he liked games well enough, he wasn't nearly as devoted as Kenma was.

"Mm." Nodded the setter.

"This time…" Kuroo trailed off, swaying with the train movement slightly. "We'll get to the Nationals." Kenma's eyes left the PSP screen, focusing on Kuroo. The small setter nodded once again, a tiny smile on his face.

Practice was tiring, filled with stray shots and shouts about 'sorry', 'cover' or 'get the last'. But, it was a normal thing for them, until they found their groove. Kuroo's legs felt like cooked noodles when Nekomata pulled him to the side before he had the chance to go head for the showers.

"Kuroo, we need a manager." The coach told him, watching as the boys filed out, heading for the showers and the changing room. After he got a nod, the man continued. "The third-years are doing all the manager duties at this point and I don't want you to just bump the chores down a year."

"Anything specific that I should be looking for?" Kuroo asked, hand on his hip, trying to put all of his weight on one leg, before switching to the other.

"Yes." Nekomata searched his notes, before tearing out a paper from the back. Kuroo noted a list of names. "These are the names of second-years who aren't in clubs at the moment. See if any of them would be interested in picking up the manager duties here." Nekomata glanced at the door. "We need someone who can deal with these boys' antics."

"Yamamoto-proof, I got it." Kuroo snickered.

"If we luck out with second-years, we'll try to hunt down a first-year girl before they all get snatched by other clubs." The coach said. "Good luck." Kuroo headed for the showers with a nod, clutching the list in his hand. This was going to be a bother, he knew already. "And Kuroo," The boy turned back, one hand at the door. "Don't scare them too much." The captain's laughter rang out as he continued on his way.

* * *

"Won't you join a club this year?" Sakurano Niko asked, stopping her daughter in her tracks. For years it had been a debate in their neighborhood about the gist of their relationship. The rumor mill simply couldn't connect the two as mother and daughter, which wasn't really a surprise. While Sakurano Niko was a short, petite, clearly Japanese woman in her late forties, her daughter, Chiharu, was a tanned, curly haired and seemingly foreign child. It took years for one of their neighbors to ask Niko about their relation and get a completely straightforward answer. Sakurano Chiharu was half Cuban, from her father's side, inheriting wild hair, large lips, and his dark complexion. All in all, it made her stick out like a sore thumb wherever she went.

"Maybe." Chiharu replied, pushing her breakfast around her bowl with her spoon. She hadn't joined one of the numerus clubs at school in her first year. After entering high school, she wanted to make certain that her grades were good and that she had a secure future ahead of her of easy winnings. Joining a club would've offered more opportunities for making friends, but it also would've taken up her afternoons completely. Besides, none of the clubs listed as available had intrigued her.

"Chiharu, you need to make more friends." Niko frowned, sitting down next to her daughter. "High school is all about going a bit crazy, you know?" Her mother grinned.

"Maybe I should join a gang?"

"Eeeh?!" Niko's shout of surprise made her daughter burst into giggles. "I'm joking, mom." She shook her head and quickly finished off the last few bites of her breakfast. "I don't think I'd make a good yankee." She giggled.

"Well, you never know." Her mother shrugged. There was a short pause in their conversation as Chiharu straightened out her uniform and grabbed her bag. "Chiharu." Niko stopped her daughter at the door, as the girl was slipping on her shoes. "You're happy, right?" The look on her mother's face made Chiharu force a wide grin onto her lips.

"Yeah!" She energetically offered, but the smile slipped off of her face as soon as she was turned away from Niko.

"Good." Her mother added. ''Have a good day!" And Chiharu was off. As she headed towards the train station, she mused about her mother's question. Happy. Well, it wasn't that she wasn't happy. But it wasn't like she was super happy. She was more like… indifferent about it? Chiharu had friends. She had a best friend and classmates and she properly participated in all class activities. They all went out for karaoke or food from time to time. She studied together with her best friend, a girl named Kudō Akari, a vivacious seatmate who had been in her class during the first year. All in all, it was a good high school experience, Chiharu supposed.

Happy? Was she happy with that?

* * *

"Yo, Kenma." Kuroo entered the second years' classroom like he owned it and headed for his friend's desk. There were a few heads which turned, mostly girls and boys who hadn't been in Kenma's class last year. The rest, though, were used to Kuroo being a constant during breaks. "You're class three this year? Anyone still here from last semester?"

"Mm." Kenma nodded, eyes not leaving his cellphone. He was busy arranging a team play game for the afternoon. They still needed a healer to get them through the dungeon. "A few."

"Any new friends?" Kuroo sat down on the desk next to his friend's, its owner absent.

"Making new friends during homeroom is impossible." The setter deadpanned, making his friend chuckle.

"Amazing expression." Kuroo laughed at the setter's displeased face, now definitely gaining everyone's attention because of his odd guffaw. A few girls in the back giggled. "Say, do you know any of these people?" Kuroo asked, passing a paper to the setter. "They're all second-years." Kenma took the list, looking it over. "Nekomata wants me to scout them for the manager position for this year."

"Mm." The setter mused, reading through the names once more. The bell rang out, making Kuroo hop up.

"Well, I'll be back later." The captain shrugged. "Let me know if you know any of these. It'll make talking to them easier, no?" Kenma gave a tiny nod as Kuroo left the classroom and headed back up to the third floor.

* * *

"Lucky!" Akari chimed, patting her desk happily. "We're next to each other this year, too!" Chiharu nodded with a smile. "I was worried that I'd be in the same class as Nishimura this year and without Haru-chin." Akari's face scrunched up in a rather interesting expression. "That would've been the worst!"

"That's not a nice thing to say, idiiiiot." Chiharu sang out the last word with a small smile, tutting.

"But, it's the truth!" Akari defended. "I really don't get along well with her type!" Nishimura Megumi was a pretty, yet terribly fickle, girl from their first-year class. She'd made Akari absolutely miserable and self-conscious with her constant comments and jibes. All in all, while Chiharu wouldn't say it out loud, she was happy to be parted from the blonde menace.

"Gossiping already?" Fukuda Itsuki wandered over, one eyebrow raised. The tall boy from the basketball club had been with them last year, as well, finding a good dynamic with the two girls. At some point, they'd nicknamed him Ikki, which was a nickname he didn't really like and couldn't really get rid of at this point. It had somehow spread through the second-years and his basketball team, which meant that it was there to stay. Still, he often hung out with the girls.

"Not at all." Akari sighed. "Just thankful to whichever Kami was looking out for me this year." She sighed, looking up.

"That Megu-tan is in class three?" Ikki grinned.

"That I'm not in class three!" Chiharu and Akari replied in unison, before bursting into giggles.

"I kinda feel sorry for her class, though." Ikki nodded. Then, he grinned conspiratorially. "They won't know what hit them!" He guffawed.

"You're evil, Ikki!" Akari laughed.

"Definitely evil." Chiharu confirmed, despite his grumbled complains.

* * *

During the lunch break, Kuroo began his hunt on second-year girls. He chuckled whenever he thought about the nickname he'd given his operation, but it made it all the more memorable. Yaku and Kai had similar reactions when they heard the name, sending him off with wishes of 'good luck' and 'do your best'. Kai also added 'don't scar them for life', which Kuroo felt personally offended about.

"So, that's Yui-chan?" He asked, pointing at the short-haired girl who was talking with a few of her friends eagerly. She seemed lively, he supposed.

"Mm." After getting Kenma's confirmation, Kuroo attacked. All conversation among the second-year girls went quiet when he walked over, blushes spreading across their cheeks as they nudged each other.

"He's coming over. He's coming over." One girl giggled.

"Hello!" Kuroo opened quite lamely, in his opinion, but the girls didn't seem to mind. They just giggled and chorused a greeting back. "You're Endo Yui-chan, right?" The girl in question blushed, even more, looking at her feet. She nodded timidly. "I'm Kuroo Tetsurō, from the volleyball club."

"We know who you are, Kuroo-senpai." One of the taller girls chimed in with a small smile. "We saw you play last year at the Inter High."

"A second-year regular!" Another girl piped up. "So cool!" What bothered Kuroo was the fact that Yui was still looking at her shoes. Too timid, maybe? He wasn't sure if she could withstand Yamamoto if she was too shy. He was a tiger that one. A girl-obsessed tiger. Kuroo's mental image of a Yamamoto dressed in a full-body tiger costume wasn't flattering at all.

"Thanks." He grinned. "So, Yui-chan, I wanted to ask if you'd planned on joining a club this year?" She was blushing horribly at him calling her by her first name. "We're looking for a manager if you are?"

"Ah." Now, she did look up at him. "I'm sorry." Yui told him.

"Yui's joining the track team this year." The tallest of the group told him. "I kind of pushed her into it, but she wants to try it out, regardless."

"Oh, I see." Kuroo nodded. "Well, good luck!" He didn't allow his disappointment to show on his face, masking it with a grin.

"I'm sorry." Yui offered a small bow to him and he waved her off with a 'don't mind'. The girl was too sweet, too shy and overly formal with him. Yamamoto would chase her away in seconds.

"You should come watch our practice sometime, Kuroo-senpai!" The tall girl yelled after him as he was leaving, making Kuroo raise a hand and wave goodbye. But, he didn't confirm or deny. With the volleyball practice, he'd learnt during his first year not to make promises to girls. They could get quite scary, after all. He'd had a rather enthusiastic crowd following him in both his first and second year, asking him to visit _their_ practice since he'd already visited another girl's. Since then, Kuroo watched what he said around those relentless harpies, nickname given from absolute respect for their tenacity.

Unfortunately, the rest of Kuroo's lunch break was spent in much the same fashion: utter rejection. While Kenma was helpful, pointing out girl after girl, seriously, how did he know their names despite never having talked to them, Kuroo began to doubt his charm. Some of the girls had already joined clubs or were planning to. And, others, they had part-time jobs or were planning on helping out at home more. By the end of the lunch break, he only had three names left on the list Nekomata had given him and was beginning to feel irritated with his hunt on second-year girls. It had been much more fun in his mind.

So, utterly defeated, Kuroo headed back to his floor, not daring to report to Yaku or Kai.

* * *

"Hey, isn't that a senpai?" Akari's head popped up, neck craning to see if the sentence was true. The girls closer to the door were pushing together, heads outside the classroom, before ducking back in to giggle.

"It is!"

"It's the one from the volleyball club. So tall!"

"Kuroo-senpai, right?" One of the giggling girls said. "I heard he was made captain this year."

"That's pretty hot." Another giggled.

"Haru-chin, wanna go see?" Akari practically begged. She had that expression on her face, making puppy-dog eyes at her best friend with high expectations. Chiharu sighed, knowing that she couldn't defeat that look.

"Okay." She grinned. "Let's go get you your fill of hot senpai captains for the day." But, before she could stand up, the chatter in the classroom went quiet.

"Is Sakurano Chiharu here?" The 'hot' volleyball captain had his head inside the classroom, one hand on the doorway. He is pretty good looking, Chiharu mused. If you were into the whole 'I just got out of bed' look. Akari's elbow hit her side, painfully digging in.

"That's her, over there." One of the girls who had been giggling a second ago replied on pure instinct, her finger pointing at Chiharu. The girl herself, however, didn't dare look up. Before she could do anything, though, Kuroo-senpai was at the desk in front of hers, pulling out the chair and sitting down the wrong way around. She instantly felt her irritation spike, a scowl appearing on her face.

"Hello! I'm Kuroo Tetsurō, captain of the volleyball club." He introduced himself with a grin, sounding completely confident. That was the moment Chiharu looked up at him, because even when he's sitting he's still taller than her, and she put one hand up, stopping him from speaking.

"I'm sorry, I can't accept your feelings." She deadpanned. "I'm not looking for a relationship at the moment." And the whole class went wild in seconds. Though, the most endearing thing was the way Kuroo-senpai's face went red, like some kind of a tomato bedhead, completely mortified. She'd obviously shot down his confidence into the deepest hole there was.

"Come with me for a bit." Despite his red face and absolute mortification, Kuroo-senpai grabbed her wrist, pulling her up from her seat and towards the door. Cheeks heated, Chiharu followed, ignoring Akari's laughter behind them.

* * *

Kuroo was absolutely mortified. Completely and totally. In his seventeen years on this Earth, he had never had a girl do that to him. He had rejected and accepted confessions, yes. But, he had never been shot down for an obviously misinterpreted confession of his own. To say that his face was red and that his ego was shattered would be a total understatement. In a shaky tone, he quickly explained why he was in the second years' classroom as soon as he had the girl outside of the room and next to the window, away from prying ears. Though, there was still a crowd of giggling girls and boys, pushing to see what would come next, at the door of class two.

"Oh, I see." The girl in front of him nodded. "I'm sorry for the misunderstanding." She gave him a tiny polite bow.

"God, please forget that and don't remind me so that I can, too." He growled, hand rising to cover his face, still red as a tomato. The smirk on her lips, eyes looking up at him, told him that she would definitely _not_ be forgetting his mortification anytime soon.

"Alright." She replied, though, countering the smug expression.

"Jeez, is that a way to talk to your senpai?" Kuroo leaned back on one leg, hands coming up to his hips. He'd forgotten all about his goal of the hunt on second-year girls at that moment, aiming only to make her face as red as his got a few moments ago. And, her eyes did go to the floor, a red tint on her tanned cheeks. "A cold rejection, huh?"

"I'm sorry, already, alright?" The girl didn't back down, though. Her dark eyes met his with a hard stare. "Tell me more about the position, won't you, Kuroo-senpai?" She gestured for him to continue.

"It's nothing too difficult, I promise." Kuroo refocused on his goal. She was interested! And, judging by that look in her eye and her general manner, she would be able to deal with Yamamoto without too much hassle. "A manager generally supports the team. So, it's basically re-filling the water bottles, making sure we have towels and sometimes maybe washing our jerseys. Though, Yaku mostly takes care of that last one, so it's optional." He explains. "Sometimes you may need to help us scout out the competition during official matches or jot down the weak points you notice during our own plays."

"I see." Chiharu nodded. "Are there any away games? Or times when we need to leave for multiple days?"

"Sometimes." Kuroo nodded. "But, we will tell you in advance and they won't make you miss class, if that's what you're worried about." The girl took out her phone and opened up the calendar app, looking at the dates he was mentioning.

"When's practice?"

"Every day before school for an hour and after school for two or three hours."

"Weekends?"

"Depends, but we mostly get the keys to the gym and usually stay for up to six or seven hours there. If there's a match coming up soon, maybe even longer."

"And when does it start?"

"On weekdays we start around six forty in the morning or so and on weekends around seven." Kuroo lists off. "But, it's always up for a vote."

"I can't stay after school on Wednesdays."

"That's alright, as long as you come to the morning practice."

"Alright."

"Alright." There was a moment of silence, where they just looked at each other. "Then, you'll come check us out after school today?"

"Sure." The girl giggled and Kuroo almost facepalmed at his bad wording. "I'm looking forward to it."

"See you then, Chiharu-chan." And Kuroo left the second-year floor with a smirk on his face just as the bell chimed, despite the previous embarrassment. After all, he had left the girl blushing quite obviously in the corridor by calling her by her first name rather intimately. He definitely still had it!

* * *

"Oh my God, that was horrible!" Akari laughed during their last break of the day. "Did you see his face? Brutal, Haru-chin! Absolutely brutal!"

"Savage." Ikki grinned, as well, coming to join the girls at their desks.

"Please, forget about it." Chiharu's face was lowered, forehead pressed against her desk's surface. Akari and Ikki shared a look, nodding. She was definitely blushing like mad, by her position. And, not even her tan cheeks could hide the redness. "I don't know what I was thinking! Why would he confess to someone like me? In the middle of the classroom, too?!" The two friends laughed at her.

"Regardless, it was like a bad rom-com scene." Ikki nodded sagely. "I loved it!" He shamelessly guffawed at Chiharu's red face, now peeking up from her desk. She scowled.

"Sheesh! Would you quit it, dammit!" The girl defended.

"I'm sorry, Kuroo-senpai! I can't accept your youthful feelings!" Akari mocked in a high pitched-tone, her arms making ridiculously extravagant motions, like a drama queen.

"I don't sound like that!" Chiharu growled out.

"Kuroo-senpai!" Ikki joined in, his tone also painfully high.

"And it didn't go like that!" The two second-years were too far gone, though, laughing like mad. It took them a few minutes to compose themselves, before Akari turned to Chiharu, brows furrowed and mouth crooked to the side. It was her thinking face.

"Are you gonna go?" She asked. Ikki also stopped goofing off and focused on Chiharu. The girl shrugged.

"I'll go today and see how it looks." She replied. "Mom's been bugging me to join a club, after all. She's worried that I'm always alone at home when she and dad are away for work."

"You should just join our club as the manager, then." Ikki grumbled. "Momo is a third year, she needs someone to take up the torch after her."

"No way." Chiharu stuck out her tongue at him. "You boys are crazy! It's too much hassle." She'd gone last year to watch their practice with Akari, when Ikki had completely talked their ears off about it. And, it had been loud, stinky and full of boys making passes at them. She didn't want to be the zoo keeper for those guys.

"You think the volleyball team will be less trouble?" Ikki grunted out. "They're nuts, you know?"

"Really?" Akari piped up.

"Yeah, they have crazy Tora on their team. You know, that guy that creepily looks at girls from afar, Yamamoto Taketora?" The name rang a bell in Chiharu's mind, but she couldn't connect it to a face. "He was in class five last year."

"There's also Kuroo-senpai." Akari sighed. "He may be eye-candy but he looks like a real playboy, you know?" Chiharu stayed silent, taking in the information. Her friends also listed a few more names. Someone named Yaku, who was apparently a sweet third-year, but a total shorty. And, also, a second year named Fukunaga they didn't know a lot about, except that he was pretty quiet.

But, as they were arguing about the members of the Boys' Volleyball Club, Chiharu's thoughts wandered back to her lunch break. She'd gone to the teachers' lounge to ask about the clubs that still had open spots or were recruiting second-years. While the Japanese History teacher, her homeroom professor, left her alone to go and print out a list for her, Nekomata Yasufumi had waved her over from his desk. The old teacher had told her that he was the coach of the volleyball club and explained to her how they needed a manager that year. He'd asked her about what kind of a club she was looking to join and told her a bit about the boys on the team. But, there had been one sentence which had played on repeat in Chiharu's head for the rest of the day.

"They may be troublesome and loud, and occasionally annoying, but they make certain that everyone on the team is happy." Nekomata-sensei had grinned up at her from his seat. And, Chiharu couldn't help but connect that moment with the one from a few hours ago. Her mother's face, expression between worried and sad, asking her if she was happy.

* * *

 **Sooooo, yeaaaaaah. I did a thing. This is the thing. Tell me how you liked the thing. At this point, I'm just so eager to write about Haru and Tetsu… Well, I hope that you guys enjoyed and I will probably have the next chapter out in a week or so. Due to the length, updating this will take a bit longer that the drabbles.**

 **All my best!**

* * *

Omake:

"Did you hear?" A girl giggled to her friends right next to Kenma's desk. "Kuroo-senpai was arranging some kind of a 'friends with benefits' in the corridor earlier." Just as Kenma was preparing to block out the gossip, he stopped, paused his game, and focused on what the girls were saying. Kuroo was doing _what_ earlier?

"I saw it!" The other girl replied. "She had the calendar on her phone open and they were choosing love hotels for different days!"

"Are you serious?" Kenma wanted to echo that sentence in a slightly different tone. That didn't… Heck, that _did_ sound like something Kuroo would do damn it.

"Yeah! And he said he could go for six or seven hours, but it was up for a vote!" One of them almost shrieked, hands on her flushed face.

"O.M.G!" They were giggling now.

"I wonder if Kuroo-senpai would let me book a date with him, too?" Kenma was well aware of his face making one of the 'interesting expressions' he usually reserved for utter idiocy. He forced his expression to become indifferent again, so that he could go unnoticed as he eavesdropped.

"Six hours!" Another round of giggles.

"Wait, who was the girl?" Came a question Kenma really wanted to hear the answer to.

"That tanned beach bunny one, from class two. Errr… What was her name again?" The girl who had started the whole conversation scrunched up her face in concentration.

"Sakura?" Another asked.

"No, no, her last name went with Sakura." The first one replied. "Her given name is something like Chihiro."

"Oh, like the model, Sakurano Chihiro?"

"Yeah! Sakurano Chiharu! That's her name!" The first girl nodded. "Do you think she's related to Chi-chan?"

"Pffft no way! They look nothing alike!" And then, Kenma actually tuned out their gossip, returning to his game. He couldn't help the way his eyebrows furrowed, mind racing. What had Kuroo _done_?

* * *

 **This Omake had me giggling like mad, what about you guys?**

* * *

 **On the other hand, a bit of info:**

 **Length of story: Will have multiple chapters, around 30 or so, I hope**

 **Length of chapters: Each will be 4k words or above**

 **Frequency of updates: Irregular (quality over quantity)**

 **Pairing: Kuroo/OC**

 **Rating: T (It's Kuroo, so better be on the safe side, right?)**

 **Timeline: Starts at the beginning of Kuroo's third year and should end around the graduation or so**

* * *

 **I'm looking for someone to beta this, if anyone is interested, give me a holler.**

* * *

 **Until next time!**


	2. The Zoo

**Hello all and welcome to another chapter of The Zookeeper :D**

* * *

 **My thanks goes out to my wonderful beta hestia8639, who is doing an amazing job despite being new to beta reading :)**

 **Also, I'd like to give a special thanks to everyone who favorited and put this story into their alerts. Especially, though, I'm grateful to Tora, Chic White, Guest and sakuraddiction for their wonderful reviews.**

* * *

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 2: The Zoo**

"You're going then?" Akari gathered her books and placed them in her school bag, eyes wandering over to her friend.

"I guess so," Chiharu replied, getting her own books together. "Do you have gym clothes I could borrow? Mine are in the washer."

"Sure, just grab them from my locker." Akari smiled. "Though, they might be a bit small on you." Her head tilted to the side, watching Chiharu stand. When the two girls stood side by side you could clearly spot their differences. Chiharu was about a head taller than her friend and curvier. Her body had changed drastically during middle school, her half Cuban heritage showing in more than just her tanned skin. The girl had thick thighs and a fairly large behind when compared to others around her. Chiharu had, of course, cried and went on a diet over it, until her father had had enough. Those were genes coming from his mother directly and she'd better be proud of them, he'd told her. Though, it didn't stop Chiharu from being self-conscious in each and every gym class and rarely accepting invitations to go to the pool with her friends during summer. Her chest had grown, too, making some of the girls give her a nasty nickname about the asset that made her rather popular among boys.

"I think I'll be fine. It's just for today, after all." Chiharu shrugged. "Besides, you wear a size bigger, don't you?"

"It's comfortable, okay?! Comfortable!" Akari defended. Truth be told, she didn't like the gym clothes that stuck to her skin. It made boys stare and girls become overly envious. And that spelled trouble when you were in high school.

"I didn't say anything, sheesh," Chiharu sighed as the two girls headed out. "I'll have them back to you tomorrow. Thanks."

"No probs." Akari smiled. "Have fun! I'll text you later?"

"Okay." And they headed in opposite directions, each to their own club activities.

It took Chiharu a while to find the gym where the Boys' Volleyball Team was practicing. Luckily, she bumped into Kenma, who was standing in the middle of the path, engrossed in his video game. He showed her to the girls' locker room where Chiharu changed quickly. Akari's gym clothes smelled of her fabric softener: something lemon-scented, which clashed with the perfume that Chiharu preferred. But, beggars couldn't be choosers. So, dressed in shorts that were a bit too tight on her and a shirt that awkwardly stretched over her breasts, Chiharu headed for the gym Kenma had pointed out.

As soon as she got close she heard yelling, the telltale sounds of a ball hitting the floor, and the squeaking of gym shoes. She tentatively opened the door and peeked inside. There were around ten or so boys inside, tossing colorful balls to each other, calling out for their own opportunity to hit the thing over the net. All in all, it looked a bit like a zoo. A big, messy zoo full of sweaty boys.

"What am I doing?" Chiharu said to herself with a small sigh and entered bravely, sliding her outdoor shoes off at the door. When she was inside she realized that she didn't have any sneakers, so she would have to continue in just her socks. So, with another sigh, she wandered over to the coaches' bench.

"Welcome, Sakurano-san," Coach Nekomata greeted her immediately, eyes never leaving the jumping teens on the court. "I see that Kuroo was able to persuade you to come?"

"He was… persistent," Chiharu chuckled, nodding. She liked the old teacher, all in all. Even in class, he always had time for each of his students and he made certain to remember all of their names, even if they were only in his class for a year. The other coach blew his whistle, getting the attention of the whole gym.

"Gather 'round!" he called out. Soon enough, there was a crowd of sweaty boys grabbing their water bottles and settling on the floor in a half circle around the bench. Chiharu recognized Kuroo, Kenma, and a boy from second year whose name she couldn't recall. The captain gave her a grin and a small wave as he sat down, making her nod back. "This is Sakurano Chiharu, she will be joining us today for practice as a trial manager." Instantly, all eyes were on her.

"H-hello. I'm Sakurano," she greeted awkwardly, not really sure where to look. She finally settled on Kenma, as he looked the most bored. One of the boys, the one with an odd mohawk kind of hairdo was staring at her so intently that it made her feel overly self-conscious of her getup. "I usually go by Haru. Ummm… I'm in my second year, class two," she trailed off, eyes going to Kuroo. He gave her an encouraging look, so she kept talking. "I don't know much about volleyball, so I'll be in your care." She bowed, glad to look at the polished floor of the gym instead of the group of eager boys and their smirking captain.

"Osu!" Chiharu's head shot up at the loud shout.

"Well, why don't you introduce yourselves?" Nekomata spoke up, and Haru's eyes darted to him. "You already know myself and Naoi, don't you, Sakurano?"

"Ah, yes!" She stood straight as a rod. The boy with the mohawk was still watching her like a hawk.

"You already know me, too," Kuroo spoke up, seeming to take pity on her. "This is Kai and that's Yaku, our third-years." He pointed to the boys. "Here we've got Kenma, Yamamoto, and Fukunaga, the second-years. And these are the first-year grunts which you don't need to know the names of."

"Kuroo-san!" There was shouting and complaining, along with laughter, mostly coming from the first years. But, the tense atmosphere had been broken and Haru was beyond thankful. She chuckled a bit, enjoying watching the way the boys interacted with their senpai and captain informally. It seemed like a good group, she decided.

"Alright!" Nekomata called for order, instantly shutting the boys up. "She'll learn your names soon enough, don't worry. For now, get back to practicing so that we can make our choice of regulars for the year."

"Osu!" And the boys were up, leaving their water bottles on the bench hazardously. Haru noticed Kuroo hesitating for a second before receiving a look from his coach and jogging over to the court.

"Sakurano," Nekomata called her over and Chiharu settled on the bench beside him. The younger coach, Naoi, Haru reminded herself, stood and began to give instructions. "We're a bit busy today, since this is the first day for the first-years. We need to assess them and see who will fill in for those who graduated last year."

"I see," she said with a nod. "What should I do?"

"You can take care of the water bottles and the towels for today, alright?" Nekoma told her, still watching the boys. He gave a small smile when one of the tall first-years completely missed a ball, striking air with his hand. "Just wash and refill them outside, there's a sink close to the entrance. As for the towels, here." He took a keychain from his pocket with a dozen keys on it. "The small one is for the locker room, they're in the light blue metal storage unit there. We'll need thirteen for today."

"Alright." Haru nodded and hopped to her feet, clutching the keys in her hand.

* * *

Kuroo took a break after the first hour and a half, sweating like hell. The first-years weren't too bad, he supposed. One particularly sucked, the half-Russian tall boy. Though, he had the sense and height to compensate for his lack of skills, Kuroo supposed. And, he was eager to learn. But, Kuroo was more interested in their trial manager at that point. She'd been entering and exiting the gym often, carrying different water bottles with her each time. He'd shamelessly timed her, too. About three rallies for her to fill four bottles. And, it had taken her six to come back with a pile of towels. Now, though, she was nowhere to be seen.

"Where's Chiharu?" Kuroo asked Nekomata when he came over to the bench.

"She took the last of the water bottles to refill a while ago," the coach replied. "Will you check on her? She's taking a while."

"Sure." Kuroo placed his towel around his neck and headed outside, changing his sneakers on the way. Sure enough, he spotted the girl by the nearby outside sinks, talking to a couple of tall guys. She seemed to be trying to fill the water bottles. Kuroo tilted his head to the side, wondering if he should interrupt. The moment the girl gathered the water bottles into her arms and started to leave, one of the boys caught her arm and pulled her back. As the bottles fell to the ground, Kuroo's legs moved.

"Chiharu," he called out in an easy-going tone, "did you stop to fill a pool on your way?"For a second, he worried that she might get upset that he interrupted, but the look of relief that she gave him upon hearing his voice was worth all the trouble Kuroo was now certain would follow. She really was a curious one, this girl.

"Butt out, volley nerd." One of the boys stepped in front of him, cutting off his path to the clearly panicking girl.

"Oya?" Kuroo tilted his head to the side. The boy was as tall as he was, but he had a bit more muscle on him. This could prove troublesome. The other two weren't pushovers, either, and Kuroo _really_ wasn't looking forward to a mess now. "We need our manager inside, though."

"I'm sorry I took so much time, Kuroo-senpai." Haru bent down, gathering the water bottles with shaky hands.

"It's alright." He grinned lazily, walking over to help her, still hyperaware of the three boys that stood around them.

"We were talking here, Kuroo- _senpai._ " Trouble with a capital T. Kuroo straightened, meeting one of the boys' glares head on.

"Seemed to me like you were ganging up on her." Kuroo smirked. "But, that's just me." He shrugged. Haru busied herself with re-washing the outside of the bottles.

"We were just talking, alright." Kuroo did _not_ like that tone.

"Oi, Kuroo, Haru, coach is calling for you." If there was a time when Kuroo was glad to have Yamamoto interrupt, it was just then. The ace walked over, a familiar glare on his face. Despite being shorter than the three boys he made them back up easily. "What do you guys want?" His chin tilted up, in a clear challenge.

"N-nothing." Obviously, the sight of their slightly yankee ace had the trio backing up and losing their confidence.

"C'mon, let's get back to practice." Then they were gone. Kuroo let out a small sigh. He looked over at Haru, noticing that she was trembling all over, but still washing the bottles.

"Hey, you alright?" He asked her. She gave a small nod and grabbed all the water bottles, heading back inside. Yamamoto gave Kuroo a look, before walking after her. Kuroo let out a sigh, hands going to his hips. He'd known that having a manager would be troublesome, but he hadn't counted on this kind of trouble. He reminded himself that she was a _girl_ and that he had to look out for her.

* * *

Chiharu didn't dare go outside without one of the boys for the rest of the practice, regardless of the low chances of a repeat of the previous situation. The tall trio had been from the basketball club and they'd recognized her from all the times she'd watched Ikki play. They had started hounding her to give them her number or hang out with them after practice. Obviously, she hadn't been interested. She wasn't experienced in those sorts of situations. But, with Akari's gym clothes and her tan skin, she knew the kind of image she gave. So, she'd been over the moon when Kuroo had wandered over with that easy-going attitude of his. And, the scary one with the mohawk had helped her, too. She needed to thank them both.

Luckily for her, the first years were eager to have her remember their names. Two in particular had stuck by her side whenever they weren't playing: Inuoka Sō and Haiba Lev. She'd been wary of the latter at first. He towered over her and had silver-bleached hair. But, then she'd realized that he was half-Japanese, like her, his Russian genes giving him his height and odd hair color. They had bonded instantly over their genes, sympathizing with how they stood out and got called weird nicknames because of their foreign characteristics. Inuoka, on the other hand, had simply been a ray of sunshine, providing her with seemingly endless volleyball slang terms and explaining the most amazing plays of the day to her. When practice ended, Chiharu was a bit sad to go.

"Gather 'round!" Naoi called out, making the boys grab their water bottles and sit on the floor yet again. "Nekomata-sensei will give the standard starting line-up based on today's practice."

"You all did well today," Nekomata began, causing any leftover chatter to die out. "It seems that we have some interesting new blood this year. So, here is our starting line-up for now." He looked down at his notebook and listed off. "Number one, middle blocker and captain, Kuroo Tetsurō." The boy grinned. "Number two, wing spiker, Kai. Number three, libero, Yaku. Number four, wing spiker, Yamamoto. Number five, setter, Kenma. Number six, wing spiker, Fukunaga. Number seven, middle blocker, Inuoka." Chiharu took care to connect each name being called out with the face it belonged to. She shared an excited grin with Inuoka when his name was called out.

"We will be ordering jerseys soon," Naoi picked up where Nekomata left off, but the excited chatter between the boys didn't completely die out. "So, prepare to be measured tomorrow before morning practice." This caused even more excitement. "For now, stretch properly and clean up. Dismissed!"

"Osu!" the boys chorused and there was a commotion as they got up.

"So, what do you think, Sakurano?" Naoi asked as the boys paired off, helping each other with stretches. He towered over her as they stood side by side, watching the group.

"They're lively." The girl smiled. "But, I'm not sure I'm cut out for this kind of work," she told him honestly.

"It's alright." Naoi nodded. "You're allowed to say no, Sakurano." The coach smiled at her and walked off, giving instructions to Lev and Inuoka who were yelling at each other about something.

* * *

"So, what do you think?" Kuroo asked Kenma as the two walked to the train stop. The setter was already immersed in his game, play-walking. But, he did glance up at his friend for a second at the question.

"Lev is annoying." Kenma spoke in an even voice, but Kuroo chuckled, being able to tell that the second-year was irritated. "His spikes are messed up. The timing is all wrong."

"Well, he just started." Kuroo shrugged. "Cut him some slack." He caught the strap of Kenma's bag, stopping him as they reached the waiting area at the train station. "What about the rest of the first years? Inuoka and Shibayama are pretty good, right?"

"Inuoka is decent. He'll be good in matches," Kenma agreed. "But Shibayama isn't Yaku."

"True." Kuroo sighed. "We'll need to properly torture him so that you guys have a good libero next year." There was a small silence between the two. They both knew that it was Kuroo, Kai, and Yaku's last year of high school. But, the reality of it still hadn't sunk in. The thought of playing volleyball without Kuroo at Nekoma was a bit daunting to Kenma. "Chiharu did okay, too. Think she'll join?"

"Mm," Kenma hummed, struggling with a monster on his PSP. The game over sound rang out. He turned the PSP off and placed it in his pocket. "I don't know."

"She had a bit of a situation with some boys during breaktime," Kuroo explained, getting Kenma's full attention. "They were hitting on her and she looked positively lost. Tora and I helped out, but she seemed shaken."

"Mm," Kenma mused as they got on the train. "I don't know. Chiharu was in my class last year," he explained. "She seemed like a strong character."

"I see," Kuroo replied. "Well, nothing we can do now, right?" He shrugged. "It's her decision in the end."

* * *

"I'm home!" Haru called out, bending down to slip off her shoes. She didn't hear a reply, but that didn't surprise her at all. With her parents always working, they weren't at home often, especially in the afternoons and evenings. As for her brother and sister, the former had his own flat, close to his workplace, and the latter lived on her college campus. It was pretty rare to see either of them at home. Haru never stopped calling out to the empty house, though, just in case. If someone was home, she wanted to greet them properly.

"Why the hell do you even own a phone?" Haru had almost reached the ground floor bathroom when the voice sounded behind her. She jumped, shrieking and dropping her stuff.

"Onee-san." Haru turned around to find her older sister giving her a glare. If you saw them together, you could probably guess that they were related. They had the same tanned skin and curly hair, after all. Though, it was clear that Chiharu had taken after their father more, being curvy. Her older sister, in turn, had a slim body and distinctly Asian facial features, making her quite the exotic beauty with her curly hair.

"Oh Kami, you go to school like that?" Her sister gave her a once over. "No wonder you don't have a boyfriend." She shook her head and headed back towards the living room. Chiharu grabbed her things from the floor and followed.

"Onee-san, why are you here? Don't you have a shoot today?" Those words seemed to make her sister freeze and slowly turn around.

"Oh, I _do_ have a shoot," she hissed. "Or, I _did._ " Her glare was positively venomous. "But, mom called and begged me to be home when you got back from school. She didn't want you to come to an empty house." Haru bit her lip. "But, _someone_ is _four_ _hours_ late! And when I called, and I did call, you couldn't even pick up!" Haru opened her mouth, but her sister raised a hand. "You know what? I don't want to hear your excuses. I'm calling Masao to come get me now that you're finally here." The young model spun on her heel with a swish of her perfect curls, leaving behind the scent of expensive floral perfume.

Haru shut her mouth in silence and trudged back towards the bathroom in silence. As she placed Akari's gym clothes in the washer she heard her sister make a phone call, cooing to her boyfriend, Masao, over the cell. Then, the TV turned on. Haru poured the detergent and started the correct program for the clothes. For a moment, she leaned her hands on the washer, head lolling in between them, relaxed and eyes closed. She enjoyed the soft rumble underneath her that moved her whole body, lulling her into sleep. But, Haru knew that she couldn't hide in the bathroom forever.

She didn't dare go back to the kitchen or the living room, knowing that her sister was on a warpath. So, although she felt hungry, she headed upstairs to her room in silence. After all, to get to the kitchen she would need to go past the living room. And, with her sister's current mood, that would mean another loud lecture which Haru, honestly, didn't have the strength to listen to. When she stripped out of her uniform and had her books on the desk she plopped down over the messy covers just in her underwear.

She was _tired_. And, she hadn't even done much outside of her usual routine that day. Sure, she'd watched the boys practice. Filled a few water bottles. Carried over a few towels. It had all been easy, manual work. The changing rooms were close and the outside sink was also nearby. Chiharu did more work every day after school when she was on her own. She usually did her homework, cooked, ate, studied, and then danced around her room or watched a show. Often, she messed around with one of the new imaging softwares on her PC.

Joining the Boys' Volleyball Club as their manager would mean saying goodbye to those relaxing afternoons. She would need to find time on other days to do her chores and enjoy herself. With a sigh, Haru pushed herself up. Did she even _want_ to sacrifice her peaceful afternoons for a club? Would it be worth the trouble? She honestly didn't know. Though, she was certain that she liked talking to Inuoka and Lev. She would miss the two rambunctious boys if she didn't join. She would try again the next day and see, Haru decided. If tomorrow, after both the morning and afternoon practice, she still felt like she was wasting her time, she would look for a different club. After all, there was a list of recruiting ones in the top drawer of her desk, waiting. So, the girl got dressed in her PJs and quickly attacked her homework, aiming to go to bed as early as she could. Though, she couldn't help the uneasy, almost guilty feeling in her stomach. Her mind kept wandering back to the smiling faces of the boys whose names she'd just began learning as they welcomed her as a part of their sports family. This was going to be trouble, she could tell.

* * *

Kuroo added a few more words in his notebook before tossing the pen onto the desk, watching it roll away before it hit the keyboard of his PC. There was a match playing on the screen, one of the international, professional ones, but he hadn't been paying much attention to it. He had been too busy creating short profiles of strengths and weaknesses for their current team. Kuroo wanted to help them improve as a team and as individuals as much as he could. Part of that meant training, which he already had some ideas for. He would turn them over to the coaches the next day. But, another part of that would be bonding as a team. As the captain, that was his task.

He remembered his first and second years on the team. When he was a freshman, he hadn't been a regular. The upperclassmen on the team hadn't been all that much better than him, but they had been older. And, a freshman replacing a third-year in the line-up hadn't sat well with any of them. So, he'd been stuck catching balls and cheering from the stands. A waste, if you asked him. And not just for himself. Yaku had been too good in his first year to sit on the bench. Kai, too. They could completely overwhelm their senpais who played the same positions, if you only looked at their overall performance in practice matches. Nekomata had even suggested a switch in players, if only for one set in official matches, but the captain at that time had had the last word about the line-up. Kuroo knew that he wouldn't make that mistake. He wouldn't alienate the good first-year players just because of his own ego.

With a scoff, Kuroo flipped his notebook closed and let his head fall onto the back of his chair. In his second year, he'd played in matches. Though, he'd still felt like he was on the outside. He had sworn back then, with his fellow second-years that they would run the show in a different way when one of them became a captain. Kuroo had expected Kai to get the position, if he was being honest. The boy was much more mature, after all, and had more leadership skills to offer. All Kuroo had was his skills as a player and his scheming nature. But, now that he had been selected, he would use those to the best of his ability. So, he would organize some kind of an outing in order to get his team to become an actual team. Tomorrow, he would get them to become a unified group, Chiharu included. He needed her to stay as a manager so that he, Kai, and Yaku could stop worrying about performing managerial duties on top of their own. Kuroo groaned. Being captain was more trouble than he'd thought.

* * *

 **That's all folks!**

 **You guys got to learn a bit more about Haru's family and see her interact with our favorite boys. I'll be looking forward to your feedback, as always :D**

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 **Onto my favorite part: Reviews!**

 **Tora3: Thanks so much for the comment! I was aiming for great shock value with that rejection hahahaha Glad it worked :D Poor Kuroo, he wasn't expecting it either xD  
Kenma… I love Kenma what can I say? xD  
I'll do my best to have a relatively regular update schedule, though I'll always aim to have a 'I feel like this is good' chapter before posting it :D  
Hope you enjoyed!**

 **Chic White: Thanks for the feedback! Glad that you enjoyed it :D Yeah, I was planning for an epic beginning, this seemed like the perfect way to go hahahaha  
Omakes are life, really xD I love making Kenma fall into the most awkward conversations hahahaha  
Looking forward to hearing from you :D**

 **Guest: Glad that I got you to review even though you usually don't! Reviews are food for my soul and inspiration :D I'll try to keep you entertained with the next chapters, too.**

 **Sakuraddiction: Your review made me cackle sooo bad xD True, we really need EMTs at the scene for poor Kuroo's heart and ego xD RIP!  
I was giggling horribly as I wrote the rejection scene, so I'm glad that it got you guys to giggle, as well :D I hope the team dynamics were up to your expectations :) Though, I'm not done yet! More awkwardness is on the way :D  
I hope to hear from you again :)**

* * *

Omake:

A Goddess had walked in. A frizzy haired, wide-eyed, dark skinned Goddess. Yamamoto stopped paying attention to the ball heading towards him the instant he caught a whiff of her perfume, something with coffee, and his limbs locked in place. The next Mikasa ball, of course, hit him straight in the face and bounced off, causing laughter to spread throughout the team.

"Pretty, isn't she?" Kuroo smirked from beside him, knowing exactly what had happened.

"A-a Goddess," Yamamoto managed. He'd seen her about, in the hallways of the second-year floor, prancing in her short skirt with her friends. He knew her. It was hard to miss the exotic looking girl. Now, it would be even more difficult to ignore her.

"Focus, Yamamoto," Kai deadpanned, making their ace look forward once again. He received the next ball alright, and spiked the second with less trouble. It was pure muscle memory, though. All he could see in his head, for once, wasn't the ball but the girl on the coaches' bench, talking and smiling. Their eyes met for a split second and the next ball hit his chest awkwardly, forcing all the air from his lungs. It had to be true love to feel like that! When the air whooshed out of your lungs because of a girl, it was love, wasn't it?

"Oi, oi, Yamamoto" Kuroo spoke again. "Are you gonna be able to play if we get a manager?"

"With my whole heart!" the ace shot back, grinning wide. And, as Naoi called them over, Kuroo shook his head at their distracted ace.

"Youth." The tall captain shrugged, grinning.

* * *

 **Now, I'm really done :D**

 **I have a blast outta these Omakes, gotta admit… Especially with Yamamoto xD**

* * *

 **I'll be looking forward to your feedback!**


	3. Rumor has it

**Hello all and welcome to another chapter of The Zookeeper :D**

* * *

 **My thanks goes out to my amazing beta hestia8639, who is absolutely awesome!**

* * *

 **Also, I'd like to give a special thanks to everyone who favorited and put this story into their alerts. Especially, though, I'm grateful to my reviewers: Yami Kozue-chii, Tora3, sakuraddiction, Guest, and AmericanNidiot!**

* * *

 **Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 2: Rumor has it**

Chiharu was up far too early for her taste. She wasn't against early mornings, per se. She liked them well enough. There was just something about the smell of a crisp early morning that was lovely. But, definitely not every day. She made room in her life for only so many crisp early mornings a year. So, when her alarm blared at four thirty she just wanted to smash it against the wall and continue sleeping. But, the girl managed to get up at five, after hitting the snooze button a few times. Barely.

She struggled through her morning routine and had to return back to her home twice. Once, because she'd forgotten Akari's and her own gym clothes. The second time, though, she'd remembered that she also needed gym shoes. So, all in all, Chiharu's morning was not a good one. She managed to isolate herself from the stress by plugging in her earphones and playing her favorite mix, a compilation of Cuban songs she'd grown up listening to, as loud as it could go.

When someone tapped her shoulder on the train she simply moved, thinking that they were asking for the exit. Luckily enough, the morning train was almost always half-empty. But, the hand on her shoulder was persistent with another tap. This time, Chiharu didn't move to the side, but took out a single earphone, turning around with the face of a poked dragon.

"What the hell do you- K-Kuroo-senpai!" Her voice broke over his name, mortification taking over.

"See, Kenma, it is Chiharu-chan!" The tall third-year nudged the setter, who was obviously trying to act like he didn't know either of the two loud messy haired idiots. "Oi, Kenma." Kuroo, apparently, wouldn't be deterred that morning.

"She obviously didn't want to be disturbed." Kenma deadpanned up at his friend, yawning into his PSP soon after.

"Were you up late last night?" Kuroo frowned. "You have that face that almost always means that you were up late playing."

"I was."

"W-wait a second!" Chiharu finally found her voice. "Why are you guys on this train?" She stared incredulously at the two.

"We need to get to school, Chiharu-chan." Kuroo gave her a 'duh' face. "We always take this train. Kenma lives just a bit down the street, so I go get him in the mornings. He's such a heavy sleeper. Probably because of all the odd-hours gaming he does."

"I didn't ask for your whole life story," the girl grumbled before he could continue. It seemed like Kuroo was used to holding one-sided conversations. Knowing that he was often with Kenma, though, explained it.

"Feisty this morning, are we?" The captain smirked down at her.

"Irritated," she shot back. Her mind normally would have gone insane over the fact that she'd been so frank with the boy, but this early in the morning, she didn't really have her filter on properly.

"That time of the month?" Kenma choked on air, fumbling with his PSP.

"That time of the morning." Kuroo couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out laughing. Chiharu's eyebrows rose, vanishing into her messy curls. "Does he always laugh like that?" She turned to Kenma for sanity.

"Mm." There was none to be found, as the setter nodded with a straight face.

"Wait, when did you guys become best buds?" Kuroo seemed to recover quickly.

"We were in the same class last year," Kenma piped up. "We talked." Kuroo looked from one to the other.

"Quite a bit, too," Haru added helpfully.

"Why didn't you say anything earlier?" he asked, tone rising with obvious disbelief.

"Nobody asked," the two second-years replied in perfect unison. As the name of their stop was called and the odd trio filed out of the train, Kuroo couldn't help thinking that Kenma and Chiharu had moments when they were a bit too similar for his liking. If they were allowed to spend any more time together, he knew that they would eventually gang up on him, one way or the other.

"So, is it that time of the month?" he cheekily asked from behind the two second-years, receiving a glare from Haru and an incredulous look from Kenma. Yes, they were going to gang up on him one way or another soon enough. The two completely ignored him, instead discussing Kenma's game in hushed tones. Needless to say, Kuroo didn't understand a word they were saying.

* * *

"Yaku, you're with Sakurano today. Show her the ropes." Nekomata gave instructions to the boys after they'd been measured for their jerseys and warmed up properly for the morning. "Shibayama, you're playing libero for the blue team. Red team, you've got Kuroo and the first years." Groans rang out, but no distinct complaints were heard. "Let's have a small match." The group dispersed, the boys heading out to the court. Chiharu was left standing with the short libero who looked like he wanted to be anywhere else except there. In absolute panic, she connected her panicked gaze with the lesser of two evils, the captain. Kuroo, though, offered her nothing except a grin and a 'go ahead' motion with his hands.

"Umm, Yaku-san, right?" Chiharu said when she realized that the short blushing boy wouldn't be the one to break their awkward, tension-filled silence. The third-year jumped at her tone and whirled around.

"Yaku Morisuke, third-year, libero!" he listed off, eyes wide. Then, he seemed to realize what he'd done and shut his mouth tightly, his blush spreading even further across his face.

"Y-Yaku-senpai, then," Chiharu tried again.

"Just Yaku is fine, Sakurano-san." His voice was so low now that she barely caught what he'd said.

"Just Haru is fine then, Yaku-san." Chiharu was honestly hoping that he would gather himself before it became even more awkward. The more tense he became the more tense she felt. All in all, she thought that this little 'getting shown the ropes' thing would go horribly.

"Haru." Yaku nodded a few times, before he took a deep breath and his shoulders finally fell down, relaxing. "Alright." When he looked at her, slightly up due to his short stature, his eyes were focused despite the blush on his cheeks. "Let's get started."

Yaku Morisuke turned out to be quite the helpful mentor and a rather nice boy, once he got over his initial shyness around her. He'd pointedly demanded throughout their teacher-student time that she call him by his first name, as well, as he wanted them to be equals. And Chiharu had given in halfway through, feeling rather comfortable around the libero. He reminded her of Ikki in ways that she just couldn't ignore.

Yaku had taken her phone and entered three new contacts: his, Kuroo's, and Kenma's. If she was having trouble with anything, couldn't make the practice on time or couldn't come at all, she was to contact them in that order. Since Yaku was apparently the most responsible member of the Nekoma team, he was usually in charge of the contact within the group. They also had a chat on Line, which he promised to send her the invite for. Kuroo was the second-best option to contact, if Yaku wasn't replying or picking up. He, though, had a bad habit of reading texts and not replying, just because he forgot, so it was best to call him. As for Kenma, texts were the preferred type of communication, replies guaranteed at lighting speed.

Next, Yaku had given her a tour of the changing rooms for both the boys' and the girls' teams. She would be sharing with the Girls' Volleyball Team, and they already had a free locker for her to use. Other than that, she needed to know about the single light blue metal storage unit in the locker room. It held all the important documents for the team and only the coach had the keys to it. Also, the towels were stored there, on the top shelf. Yaku assured her that she would get her own copy of the key soon enough and asked her not to lend it to any of the team members, no matter the circumstances. Apparently, there had been some kind of an issue during his first year where some of the documents had gotten misplaced. Since then, only the manager and the coaches were allowed to use the storage.

"You probably already have an idea what to do during regular practice, right?" Yaku asked as they walked back towards the gym, carrying towels.

"Yeah." Chiharu nodded. "Water bottles, towels, and notes on plays," she listed them off on her fingers.

"That's pretty much it," the libero confirmed. "If we're having a match, practice or in-team, you will probably be asked to flip the score or serve as the referee or spotter."

"Spotter?" Haru asked.

"You stand near the back line, on the side, and watch for the balls. If the ref can't see whether they're in or out, you will be the one to judge them," Yaku supplied. "During an official match, there are usually four or more spotters. And, if we're playing a really big game, there will also be cameras recording the lines. Then, we can accurately see how the ball hit." He looked over to the second-year, noticing her lost expression. "But, don't worry. Kuroo and Tora are the only ones to really argue balls."

"Argue… balls?"

"Yeah, they appeal to ref's decision, asking for them to rethink it." Yaku nodded. He led her into the gym, where it got much louder, the boys yelling for tosses and cheering when they scored. The two changed their shoes. "For example, the spiker's hand hits the net or he steps on the line when serving." After getting a nod, Yaku continued. "Those are the most common faults and the ref will catch them. If he doesn't, a player can argue for a fault or a double-touch, for example." Yaku stopped listing off when his charge halted. Chiharu had her face scrunched up, thinking. "Haru?"

"Morisuke, I'm going to be honest." She looked Yaku straight in the eyes. "I understood only about half of the things you just listed, and I'm not even certain I've got the right idea there. So, I'll just do my best to learn while watching and come to you with any questions I've got?" At this, Yaku laughed lightly.

"Don't worry." He grinned, motioning with his head for the bench. "Nobody expects you to know everything right away. I'll do my best to support you, of course. If there's anything you're wondering about, you've got me, Kuroo, or really anybody who's free at that moment." He scowled then. "Except Lev. Lev is an idiot." Chiharu chuckled at the expression, nodding.

"I'll be counting on everyone sans Lev, then." The two placed the towels onto the coaches' bench and sat down, side by side, watching the teams. The red team seemed to be struggling. Half of the balls they received went flying, like home runs. Yaku actually had to extend his arm a few times in front of Chiharu to prevent a headshot.

"Also, the coach hates dealing with scheduling." He seemed to recall after Naoi yelled at Lev to keep his hands up properly. Kuroo seemed to have given up on the half-Russian. "He gets plenty of calls about practice matches and away games, so you may end up dealing with his cellphone at some point. I suggest getting a good planner, because it gets pretty hectic halfway into the season."

"I'm pretty good at that kind of stuff." Haru grinned, finally in her element. "Like, answering the phone and scheduling stuff."

"That's great!" Yaku seemed relieved. "Because I've been doing it since the senpais left last year and it's not my best skill. I actually overlapped two practice matches at the end of the year." He laughed awkwardly, scratching his cheek absent-mindedly. "It was pretty lame."

"I'll be happy to save you from the evil phone, Morisuke," she said seriously. The pair stared at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter.

* * *

Kuroo had been distracted. He'd expected Nekomata to give Chiharu a mentor. But, he hadn't thought that that person would be Yaku. After all, he, himself, was the obvious choice. He'd recruited her. She already knew him. They had a connection. Chiharu was already pretty comfortable with him. And, he knew the team the best. So, why Yaku?

His thoughts had lost the red team their first set. Hence, with a groan of frustration, as the libero and their potential manager had been gone for too long, Kuroo forced himself to focus. He could deal with those two later. Now, he needed to get the first years into shape. So, he re-grouped them, gave instructions and they prepared for the next set. They managed to take it somehow, with a two-point difference.

It was during that break that Kuroo noticed that the two people he'd been worrying about were back. Chiharu and Yaku were sitting next to a pile of towels on the coaches' bench, casually talking. The libero seemed to be pointing out play after play, explaining them to the girl, sometimes showing her with his hands, too. She, in turn, nodded, and giggled whenever Yaku had an annoyed face. Kuroo squinted, trying to make out what they were saying. She was full-blown laughing now. She never laughed with him or Kenma like that.

Then, it was lights out.

"Kuroo?"

"Oi, captain?"

"Nice headshot, Kai!" That was Yamamoto. A ball from the other side of the net had been spiked perfectly into Kuroo's cheek, sending him to the ground. He groaned from the floor as the team gathered around him with varying degrees of concern.

"It wasn't meant to be a headshot!" the wing spiker defended. Something cold landed on Kuroo's face while he was trying to blink his vision back into focus. Then, the cold vanished and he realized that it had been a wet towel. Chiharu's worried face came into his field of vision. Her eyes were pretty big, Kuroo realized. Like, the attractive kind of big. And warm. A warm brown color. Like chocolate. He felt like eating some chocolate.

"Kuroo-senpai, can you hear me okay?" Even her voice was trembling. She really _was_ worried.

"Of course." He smirked up at her.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" Chiharu's hand was above his face.

"Two."

"Alright." She nodded and then helped him sit up slowly. "Do you know where you are?"

"School, morning practice." She was checking his condition, Kuroo realized. "And, it's a Tuesday." His head throbbed, but it wasn't too bad. He'd had worse.

"How was the last point scored?"

"Fukunaga spiked it near the back line." Another nod from the girl.

"Do you feel dizzy? Nauseous?" Her fingers were warm on his cheek as she examined the extent of the external injury.

"Neither." Kuroo leaned back on his hands, causing Chiharu to move forward, following him. She pressed the cold towel back onto his cheek. "So, am I all good, Sakurano-sensei?" The cold towel slipped from his face. Though, Kuroo managed to catch the blank expression on the girl's face before she covered it up with a small frown.

"Looks alright." Chiharu grabbed his hand and made him hold the towel. "Hold that in place so it doesn't swell and wait a bit before playing again. If you're dizzy or nauseous, tell the coach immediately." Her voice was tight, Kuroo noted. There was something wrong. But, the girl got up, brushed off her shorts and smiled at the team. "Seems like it's all good." Cheering erupted through the small group.

"Haru, you know first-aid?" Yaku touched her arm, getting her attention. Chiharu gave a nod. "That's useful! Really useful!" Wait, Haru? Kuroo's brain went into overdrive. So, in the span of two sets she let Yaku call her by some kind of nickname while for two whole days she scowled at him calling her by her first name? What was _that_?

"Kuroo, can you get up?" Kenma was at his side.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He pushed himself to his feet. "Thanks to Chiharu-chan, I'll be playing again in no time." Her cheeks colored and she gave him a glare, before turning to walk to the coaches. Nekomata was smirking knowingly from the bench. He knew that she knew first-aid, Kuroo sighed in disbelief. That sly old man. He knew. No wonder he had been so happy to hear that Chiharu would be joining them for practice the previous day. Kuroo shook his head to himself, ignoring the slight twinge of pain that came with the movement. Unfortunately, the coach didn't let him play for the rest of the practice and he placed himself in between the captain and the would-be manager skillfully, smiling all the while. Kuroo was just glad to be out of there as soon as the red team lost, despite having Yaku as their libero.

* * *

The rest of Kuroo's day came and went in a similar fashion. His cheek swelled up, despite the cold compress he'd put on it later. And, his morning classes sapped away the last bits of strength he had. He was quite certain that he'd slept through half of them. Which meant that he needed notes.

"Oi, Misaki," Kuroo called out during the short break between his classes. The girl two seats in front of him was ignoring him with passion. Kuroo smirked and pushed himself up, sliding into the seat in front of him. Then, he had the perfect position for irritating the life out of his classmate. "Mi-sa-ki~" Kuroo sang out, tugging the end of her braid with each syllable. "Calling Misaki-sama to answer this commoner's humble summon and grace him with her-"

"Shut up, Kuroo." The third-year whipped around in her seat, tugging her hair out of his hands with a sharp movement of her head. "What do you want?" Kuroo straightened from his half-lying position on the desk and offered a nice, polite smile. Very much different from his usual smirk.

"Misaki, my love," he began. Kuroo and Takahashi Misaki had been in the same class since their first year, rather miraculously. She was a tall girl, one of the few who didn't have to crank their neck to the side in order to talk to him properly. Her eyes were dark blue, hidden behind thick glasses and she always had her hair in a braid. This was the girl who was their class president and a member of the debate club. Which meant that she was the one to deal with all of their class troublemakers, Kuroo included.

"Don't make me smack you," she threatened.

"You'll never get married with that attitude, you know?" Kuroo really couldn't help himself. He loved razzing this girl as much as he could, much to her annoyance. "Maybe someone with a dom fetish, though?"

"Well, you'd know all about that, wouldn't you?" Misaki gave him one of her 'looks' over the top of her glasses. It was a glance that told him he was in trouble for something with her. But, for the love of God, Kuroo didn't know what it was. Surely, he hadn't razzed her since last year.

"Would I?" Kuroo's head went to the side, questioning. Misaki's eyes went wide.

"You haven't heard?" she asked incredulously. Then, she turned even more in her chair, so that she could talk easily. "Some rumors floated up from the second-year floor. And, you know I don't normally gossip, but these were about you, so I stopped to listen." Kuroo motioned for her to continue. "Some second-year girl has been saying how you set a date and a time for you guys to go to a love hotel." At this, Kuroo's eyes went wide.

"Ee- w-wait, what?" He was pretty certain that he was blushing.

"Exactly," Misaki continued. "Knowing how much of a dork you are, I figured it was a false rumor. Though, the girls in 3-2 were pretty certain that the beach bunny girl spreading them was telling the truth."

"Beach bunny girl?" Kuroo asked, frowning.

"Tanned, you know. As in, she spends all her time at the beach picking up guys." As Misaki explained in her matter-of-fact voice a single image popped into Kuroo's head. Rather tan skin, wide chocolate-colored eyes, large lips and wild curly hair that she forced into a bun. It couldn't be Chiharu, could it? "That's all I've got, though." Misaki was expectantly looking at him. "So, what did you do to scorn her?"

"Scorn her?" Kuroo tried to remember. He really did. "Nothing?" He shrugged. "Honestly, if you are talking about the girl I think you're talking about, I doubt that she was spreading a rumor. She doesn't seem capable of it." Misaki scoffed at that.

"You'd be surprised what a cornered girl could do. It's always the quiet ones." Misaki turned to the front, grabbing something off her desk, and then faced Kuroo again. "Get these back to me tomorrow, sleepyhead."

"Yes, commander!" Kuroo mock saluted with a grin, getting up, but his heart wasn't in it.

* * *

Kuroo slipped away from his usual third-year lunch group in favor of seeking out Kenma. As he walked down the second-year corridor, there were giggling, glances, and hushed whispers following him. Normally, he'd be delighted to have that kind of attention. But, this time, with the rumor running wild around the school, he felt like it was the wrong kind of attention. So, with a small grin on his face, Kuroo sought out Kenma.

"Yo, Kenma," the third-year greeted and plopped in front of the setter in a stranger's chair. The whispers and giggles in the classroom slowly died out as the novelty of Kuroo's presence wore off.

"Kuroo." Kenma had a small frown on his face. "You heard?"

"Yeah, sounds troublesome," Kuroo agreed. "You know anything?"

"Some girls were talking about you and Chiharu yesterday." The setter gave a small shrug. "I guess it spun out of control." Kuroo let out a long sigh, his head falling to the desk, right into his arms. He stretched, so that his hands were all the way on Kenma's side and he received a 'look' from his friend. Kenma wouldn't be cutting him any slack, despite his wounded status on the rumor mill.

"How bad was it?" he asked quietly.

"The usual rumors about relationships," Kenma replied with a small shake of his head. "Just leave them alone and they should go away." Giggling from the other side of the classroom caught Kuroo's attention and he looked over. A group of four girls squealed as quietly as possible, blushing, and then they put their heads as close as possible and started whispering.

"Leave them alone, huh?" Kuroo asked Kenma, pointing at the giggling squad.

* * *

Kuroo was going to leave it alone. He honestly was. Because, when it came to social matters he trusted his best friend's judgment over his own. Kenma, as awkward as he was in conversations, _knew_ people. He knew how to deal with them and he knew how to react the best possible way for the outcome he wanted. So, Kuroo trusted Kenma's advice first and his own instincts right after it. But, he just _couldn't_ stay silent after hearing something like that.

"Six hours?" The girl standing in a group of five next to the window giggled. "That's one serious claim to live up to."

"I heard that she had been in the motel a number of times, too," another piped up. "Something about silk sheets. That's some serious comfort there." They all giggled.

"Hello." Kuroo found his own mouth opening before he could stop it. And, by the look on their faces, they hadn't seen him passing by. And, those wide eyes and open mouths told him that they knew exactly who he was. And, Kuroo, for once, wasn't happy about being recognized. "I hope that you know those rumors are bogus, don't you?" He grinned lazily down at the girls.

"Y-yes, of course, Kuroo-senpai," one of them managed to squeak out.

"If I wanted to do it with someone, it definitely wouldn't be in a motel, regardless of the sheets." He really, _really_ should've stayed silent, like Kenma had told him.

 **That's all folks!**

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 **I hope that you guys enjoyed the new chapter and that you'll be patient with me as I write like a wounded slug xD I've been obsessing over my True Blood work recently hahahaha**

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 **Here's a question for you guys, would you like Haru to be the manager of the club or not? :D  
And now, onto my favorite part!**

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 **Reviews:**

 **Yami Kozue-chii: Heeeey! Thanks for the wonderful review :) I'm glad that you enjoyed the last chapter and I hope that I've still got you entertained :D Bear with my wounded slug pace please hahahaha  
Haru joined? Hehehehehe I'm evil, I'm sorry xD I'm already planning drama hahahaha Well, the boys will be there to back her up, promise :D  
Hope you enjoyed!**

 **Tora3: Hey! Thanks for the feedback :D Kuroo-senpai to the semi-rescue hahahaha Here's another Omake to enjoy :D Glad that you liked the Yamamoto one :)**

 **Sakuraddiction: Cheers! Thanks for the lovely review :D Honestly, I'm making no promises regarding Haru's sister… You'll have to wait and see :) There will be more of her wacky family soon :D  
Oooooh dude** _ **I'm**_ **weak for awkward Kuroo too! He's such a dork in my eyes xD But, he's trying to work the height and the bedhead hahahahaha Here's some more of his awkwardness. Hope you enjoyed!**

 **Guest: Hello, welcome back, and thank you very much! Reviews are food for the soul and the inspiration, 100% hahahaha  
I hope that you'll keep enjoying the story :D Haru has a bit of a strained relationship with her sister. We're going to see how it develops and why it has come to this point soon enough :) Cheers and thanks again!**

 **AmericanNidiot: Hey, thanks for the review! I'm glad that you're relating to Haru. But, I promise that there is more to her big sister drama… Stay tuned!**

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Omake:

Yaku Morisuke usually didn't pay attention to rumors. They were nasty, tended to spin out of control, and were often quite false. But, when the girls from his class flocked around him, a rare sight, bombarding the short libero with questions about his captain, there was really no way to _not_ pay attention. They were asking all kinds of things, albeit a little shyly in the beginning, but once they gained momentum, they grew more confident.

It had started when one of the girls asked if Kuroo was his captain. Then, when he confirmed, two more joined the slowly gathering crowd. And, when another question was answered about Kuroo not being in a relationship to the best of his knowledge, more of them came over. At that point, Yaku was blushing from all the female attention, which wasn't a normal thing in his usual school day. But, it was the fifth or sixth question, he'd lost track by then, that got him to completely lose it.

"So, it's true that he can go for six or seven hours?" one of the giggling girls asked. Yaku's eyes went wide, blush spreading across his ears. "That's what the beach bunny said, after all. They do it all the time, apparently."

"Beach bunny?" he asked slowly.

"That Sakurano girl, from second-year. The tanned one with a crazy bedhead." Now, Yaku choked on air.

"Haru?" He asked incredulously. Then, he felt his stomach ache and his head hurt slightly. He burst out laughing, the guffawing turning into a cough when he swallowed the wrong way around. "Oh, God," he managed, before bursting into another set of cackles. "Haru and Kuroo?" And he fell onto his desk, almost crying from laughter. The girls, not interested anymore, shrugged to each other, sharing questioning looks and dispersed from around the short libero who just couldn't gather himself.

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 **Now, I'm actually done. Looking forward to your feedback :D**


	4. Plotting and scheming

**Ahem. After my 'short' sabbatical from the fandom and this fic, I'm re-watching Haikyuu and writing again. Hence, here's something I think all those who're still with me will enjoy :D**

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 **My thanks goes out to the wonderful hestia8639 for betaing, all my reviewers who give me food to write :P and especially The Spade Queen for reminding me that you guys want an update :D**

 **Enjoy!**

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 **Chapter 4: Plotting and scheming**

Kudō Akari was not a violent person by nature. She had grown up with three older brothers, her mother often sick, which led to the two of them being pampered like princesses. So, Akari's childhood was full of frilly dresses, play dates, fluffy animals, and messy braids. She was known in kindergarten as the girl with her own personal bodyguard squad, her three brothers easily looming over the kids in her age group. During primary school, she'd been the princess who always had a cute older brother to pick her up and walk her home. And, in middle school, she'd been the girl with whom every other member of the female population wanted to hang out, simply to get close to her brothers.

So, in high school, when Akari had met Chiharu, she'd been cautious. The girl sitting behind her was an exotic-looking cutie, after all. And Akari had learned from previous experiences that being cute often meant that you were on a hunt. A hunt for a boyfriend. So, she knew only to say good morning and casually chat about class activities. It wasn't until the second month of their first year that Akari really learned what kind of person Chiharu was.

Akari had been coming back to the classroom from lunch break, only to hear that vile creature, Megumi, and her band of gigglers asking Chiharu all sorts of questions about Akari's brothers and how they could get an invitation to her home. Akari had stopped, her hands clenching at her sides, and waited shamelessly to hear Chiharu's response. It had been one that she definitely hadn't expected. A loud smack had rung out, followed by shouting and crying. And, that was the story of how Chiharu had slapped Nishimura Megumi for badmouthing her friend, only to get ganged up on by the giggler squad and end up in the infirmary herself. Since then, Akari had stuck close to Chiharu's side, learning that the curly bedhead had almost zero interest in boys, aside from being friends with them. So, Akari had promised herself that day to do the same for Chiharu. Maybe she wouldn't be able to land a slap, terrified of the pain, but she would definitely deliver a good tongue-lashing to anyone who dared to hurt her friend.

Apparently, the day when she could make good on her promise had arrived sooner, rather than later. So, when the school day ended and Chiharu headed home with a glum expression, Akari didn't go to her club room. No, she stomped out of her classroom and straight for the third gym, the one that was commonly used by the Boys' Volleyball Club. And, the sight of an angry Kudō Akari had her fellow second-years parting like the Red Sea before Moses.

"Kuroo Tetsurō!" the girl called out from the entrance when she arrived at the gym, hands clenched at her sides. The boys were inside already, doing stretches. Their heads turned towards Akari at the shout. Then, the majority of them glanced at their captain, who looked like a deer caught in headlights. "Come with me!" Her tone made it clear that it was more of a command than a request.

"Is that… some kind of a battle challenge?" Yaku asked, head tilted to the side as their captain slowly approached the glaring girl. It was a funny picture, really. Kuroo towered over the girl with ease, but she looked like some sort of a ferocious jungle cat, ready to tear out his jugular at the smallest error.

"A confession?" Kai supplied. "Maybe?" he trailed off.

"A Goddess!" Yamamoto added, melting into a puddle while their captain switched shoes and followed the girl out. The boys were left to stare after the pair, before scrambling to change their own shoes and follow the odd duo in stealth mode.

Akari walked behind the gym, knowing that Kuroo would follow her. Then, when she deemed it far enough from prying ears, she stopped and whirled around, making him freeze as well.

"Oi, what's this abou-"

"You-you-you insufferable- no, conceited- urgh! Just horrible, selfish, evil-" Akari's tongue-lashing hadn't gone as well as she'd hoped, as her anger stopped her brain from being able to pile on insults.

"Hold on! Hold on!" Kuroo raised his hands in a gesture of peace. "What did I do?" Akari's eyes widened and she gaped at his lost expression. She shook her head and then moved towards him, raising a fist.

"She is a good girl." She stabbed at his chest with her index finger hard enough he nearly lost his balance. "She may be tan and look wild, but she is a _good girl_." The last two words were accompanied by two more jabs into his hard chest. He took a step back as the petite girl didn't show any intentions of stopping her advances. "She is shy! And she does her best!" She emphasized each sentence with a jab. "And you did-did- _that!_ " Akari finally slapped the same sore spot on his chest with her open palm. "You insufferable piece of-" Kuroo caught her wrist before she could deliver another slap to his sore chest.

"Oi, I have no idea what you're rambling on about!" he finally yelled, stopping the girl from her thrashing around in order to free her weapon. Akari froze, grit her teeth, and brought her other hand up, aiming for his face now. But, Kuroo was too fast. He avoided the initial slap and caught her wrist when she went for another one. "Stop trying to hit me and explain, damn it!" Akari panted, out of breath from her attempts to wound the annoying senior in any way she could.

"Chiharu would never sleep with your sorry ass!" And then she managed to deliver the final blow to the shell-shocked third-year, slamming a strong kick onto his shin with the front of her shoe, causing him to yelp and sink down to grasp it. "Stop spreading nasty rumors!" And with a final slam of her school bag over Kuroo's head, Akari headed away from the battlefield. When she rounded the corner, she saw the shocked volleyball team, staring and gaping. She hissed at them, making the boys push each other to move back and towards the wall, before stomping away, her anger only slightly abated.

* * *

Chiharu headed home after sending a text to Yaku that she couldn't make the afternoon practice due to a headache. The third-year had replied almost instantly, telling her not to worry and to take care of herself. She felt a bit guilty, lying to him, but her head had been pounding during her afternoon classes a bit. Not a headache, though. She knew those. But, she knew this, as well. Her forehead was hurting, in a rhythmic beat which told her that she was anxious. Unbelievably so. She'd been minding her own business in the corridor during break time, when she'd overheard a group of second-years talking. They mentioned her name and Kuroo-senpai's, which made Chiharu halt and try to listen as inconspicuously as possible. Now, she wished that she hadn't. She should've just minded her own business and been on her way. But, for him to do something like that... He must hate her for some reason.

Chiharu had racked her brain during the last few classes of the day, trying to figure out the reason. But, she was drawing a blank. She hadn't done anything bad to Kuroo-senpai. She'd profusely apologized for her initial mistake and rejection of his non-confession. She'd also gotten both him and Yamamoto a sports drink and a health bar as thanks for their help the day before. Kuroo-senpai had thanked her with a smirk while the volleyball team's ace had done some form of a noodle dance with outlandish sounds coming from his mouth. Kuroo-senpai had apologized for the 'idiot'. All in all, Chiharu was certain that she hadn't done anything for her senpai to retaliate in such a fashion. Saying that she had asked him to go to a love hotel with him... That was too much to ignore, even for Chiharu.

So, she'd gone to the expert who was always in tune with the second-year rumor mill: Akari. At the end of classes, she had gotten three different versions of the rumor out of her reluctant friend. One was the same as she'd overheard. Kuroo-senpai had told someone how Chiharu had insisted that she'd only be their manager if he went with her to a love hotel. Regularly. The second one re-told the story of Kuroo-senpai having a schedule on his phone, which he shared with all the girls he wanted to do it with, so that they could book a time and date at their convenience. Apparently, Chiharu had had the privilege to book herself a date like that. And the last, and definitely the worst rumor, had had Akari hesitating whether to even tell her. But, after Chiharu had given her one of her looks, which told the other girl that she could take it, whatever it was, Akari had given in. The last rumor that Kuroo-senpai was spreading told a completely fabricated story of some kind of a friends with benefits arrangement, which had apparently started during the short break between Chiharu's first and second year. And, now, they were simply making it more convenient with a schedule and love hotels. Akari had told her that there had even been talk of explicit details of a completely fictional blowjob behind the third gym.

Chiharu had hit her limit. She had tolerance, yes. She knew that some of the rumors at school spun out of control, yes. She knew that she was a favorite topic, her naturally tan skin making her the ideal 'beach bunny girl'. But, she hadn't thought that by simply joining a club she'd provoke someone into completely ruining her like that. What had she _done_ to Kuroo-senpai in order for him to say all those things? She'd just wanted to have some extracurricular activities. To please her mother. To have some fun. To make some more friends. But this… Chiharu couldn't do this. She had her pride, after all.

An empty house welcomed her home and Haru, for once, didn't call out a greeting. She didn't feel like doing it. She didn't feel like doing anything. The front of her head throbbed horribly and she felt guilty for lying to Yaku. But, she didn't know if she could trust him. He'd known Kuroo-senpai far longer than he'd known her. If it came to choosing sides, the third-years would undoubtedly stick together. So, Chiharu numbly changed into comfortable PJs, prepared a small meal for herself and turned on the TV in the living room, watching it but not really seeing anything. She needed to give a good reason why she couldn't be the manager for the club, directly to coach Nekomata at the teachers' lounge. And then, she would have to avoid the boys from the volleyball club like the plague. It seemed like an easy enough idea. It would be simple to go back to her usual routine and forget that the Boys' Volleyball Club even existed.

Chiharu stood, returning her dishes to the kitchen and placing them in the sink. Then, she turned to the emergency drawer she shared with her mother, their little secret. From there, among the numerous colorful bags of junk food, Haru grabbed the biggest bag of potato chips she could find and returned to the living room, switching to an international English channel and finding a crime show to watch. Before long, the combination of the chips, the foreign language, and the mysterious murder case in front of her, Chiharu began to drown her numbness.

* * *

When Naoi walked into the gym, expecting the boys to be finished with their stretches and running, he instantly blew a fuse. The volleyball club was sitting in a circle, first-years included for once, heads huddled together as they whisper-argued about something. Naoi waited. He knew that boys will be boys, but this was more of a council of gossiping elders. Or something. So, he gave them a few more seconds. The situation didn't change.

"Laps!" Naoi yelled out, scaring the majority of them and making them scream, jump, or back away in a hurry. Soon enough, the boys were on their feet, properly greeting the coach before running out to do their laps. Naoi sighed, heading for the coaches' bench. They had become even more troublesome this year, if that was possible. But, unlike last year, it seemed like they were more of a team. More of a group. Kuroo had been a good choice of captain, Naoi decided, as he scanned his notes.

What Naoi didn't know, though, was that the boys simply rounded the first corner of the lap before jogging down one of the grassy hills and dropping down in the same circle as before, huddling together. They were trying to get to the bottom of an important matter, after all.

The council of gossiping elders, better known as the Boys' Volleyball Gossip Club, began with their captain presenting the problem. It hadn't gone too smoothly, as it seemed like every member had a little bit of another nasty rumor to add. The first-years were the only ones who looked a tad lost, but they quickly caught onto the topic. So, once the council was in session at their new location, Kuroo presented the solutions like the leader he was.

"So. As far as I see, we have a few options. Let's narrow them down quickly." He scratched the back of his head, ruffling the bottom part of his bedhead a bit. "All in favor of Chiharu being our manager..." Thirteen hands rose, his included, unanimously. "Alright. Then it's time to fix this. I'm going to-"

"Not interfere," Kenma deadpanned, cutting the captain off. "All in favor." Twelve hands rose, Kenma's included.

"O-oi!" Kuroo balked. "What do you mean I'm not going to interfere?" He scrunched up his eyebrows.

"Kuroo, you've already made it worse, apparently," Kai spoke up before their captain could lose his wits. "Let us figure it out, alright?" Kuroo grumbled. "Lay out the plan, without you commandeering it."

"Alright, alright. I can tell when I'm outvoted." Kuroo sighed. "We need to do three things in order to fix this. One, find out who is spreading these rumors."

"Fukunaga, that's you." Kai instantly assigned the task. "You're a second-year and can get close to anyone without too much trouble. Keep your eyes and ears open for the source. Also, try not to be noticed as you're doing so." Fukunaga gave a nod. The second-year, while usually quiet, was actually pretty sociable. Contrary to appearances, he didn't have any trouble navigating through different classes or talking to people he didn't know.

"First years." Kuroo picked up where his vice-captain left off. "You're on secondary option duty. Find a person who hasn't joined a club yet and might be interested in being our manager if Chiharu decides against it, despite the rumors being stopped." There were nods among the new members of the club.

"Yaku and I will try to find the source of the third-year rumors, as they appear to be different from the ones among second-years," Kai supplied helpfully. Kuroo gave him a nod, smirking wider.

"Finally, Kenma, you're on Chiharu duty," the captain assigned. "Since you two are so chummy, it shouldn't be too much trouble finding out where her head's at." Kenma gave a mute nod. "Alright, laps!" And with a clap, everyone rose, going uphill in order to run before practice. Kuroo, however, wasn't done. He grabbed Yamamoto's elbow, holding him back. "Tora, can I ask you to spread some counter rumors?"

"What did you have in mind?" Yamamoto asked, and the two huddled together.

* * *

"I understand the situation." Nekomata-sensei nodded, leaning back in his chair. There was no smile on his face, which Chiharu had begun to associate with the man. "I'm sorry to see you go. The boys warmed up to you rather quickly and you seemed very qualified for the position." Now, he did give her a small, knowing smile.

"I'm very sorry, yet again, sensei. The workload is just too much," Chiharu explained, bowing. She gave Nekomata another small nod and left the teachers' lounge.

"Sakurano isn't staying with your club, Nekomata-sensei?" asked Hara Rie, the young Japanese History teacher. She was a short woman with a dark bob cut and kind eyes. All of her students loved her and usually addressed her by her first name, rather informally.

"Unfortunately, no." Nekomata turned in his chair. "She says that the workload is too big for her, considering her part-time job and studies. She's worried that she won't be able to manage." Rie shook her head, leaning on the desk next to Nekomata's.

"I'm worried about that girl a bit. I heard that she doesn't have many friends and isolates herself from her classmates." The young woman sighed. "I'd hoped she'd join a good club and find her place among her peers that way." The teacher hesitated for a moment. "I may be a teacher, but I've heard some nasty rumors circling about…"

"I didn't want to interfere, Hara-san." Nekomata sighed. "Those boys can usually take care of their own very well… Too bad, I would've loved seeing Sakurano blossom with us." Rie nodded, solemnly.

* * *

Chiharu's day passed in muted whispers and tiny glances which seemed to burn into her back. Now that she knew about the content of those quiet words, she knew why those looks were just like that. She would've glanced at the person she'd heard those things about, as well. So, Chiharu held her head high and stuck close to Akari, almost like a shield. Since her friend had told her about the contents of the rumors, the girl had become even chattier than usual, if possible. She talked about her brothers, school, and her club at an almost impossible pace.

Haru was thankful, though. Ikki had done his best, as well, obviously having been updated on the details by Akari. He'd insisted that the two girls hang around his practice after school and had even taken them out for a meal afterwards. Chiharu had noticed the curious and leering glances coming from Ikki's teammates, easily recognizing the tall trio of basketball players who had cornered her at the sink. But, they hadn't come close to her. They'd simply looked. Yet, Chiharu still felt like she needed a shower. A long one.

"Hey, do you think you might join my club?" Akari asked as they walked out of the small ramen place just a few streets from their school. Ikki was the last one out, waving goodbye to the cashier who already knew them by name.

"I'm not sure… I still have- Oh, Kami! Work!" Chiharu's eyes widened and she fished out her cellphone to call her colleague in complete panic. "I need to run! Thanks for the food!" The two second-years barely heard her words as the young girl rounded a corner, rushing to the train stop.

"She's… too late to go now, no?" Ikki asked, shock on his face.

"It's Chiharu. She'll probably go and offer to clean up or something." Akari laughed and led them in the opposite direction. "What do you think about these rumors, Itsuki?" The short girl looked up at him, worried.

"As nasty as they come." Ikki sighed. "I talked to Sato, though. You know, the senpai who gives me his notes every year?" Akari nodded. Ikki had an upperclassman in the club who'd been helping him out with notes, tips on teachers, and the best ways to pass classes since their first year. "He says that the rumors among the third-years were supposedly started by Chiharu."

"W-what?" Akari balked.

"And," Ikki put up a finger, silencing her, "they all depict Kuroo-senpai as the used party."

"Then…" Akari stammered.

"It's not Kuroo-senpai who's spreading them," Ikki concluded with a smile, just as Akari yelled out in shock.

"I beat up Kuroo-senpai for no reason!"

"Y-you _beat up_ Kuroo-senpai?"

* * *

Fukunaga had always been good at getting along with people. He was quiet, listened well, and offered honest advice when asked. This was the quality that made him fairly popular among the girls in his year. While he'd only had a single girlfriend in his teenage life, that didn't seem to matter to the female population. His personality had made him a favored guide to a young maiden's love life. Fukunaga supposed that Kenma would've been in a similar situation, if only the young setter would take his eyes away from his games more often.

So, getting intel about different rumors had been a simple task for him. He'd merely talked to one person about Sakurano and Kuroo, and there was already a group of them willing to share their collective knowledge by his desk the following morning. When Fukunaga had heard the full extent of the rumors, he found himself more than a little disgusted at their nature. But, he would bear through that if it meant getting to the bottom of all this. And, he really couldn't imagine the shy girl from the gym, who'd stared at Kuroo during her introduction in hopes of being saved, doing anything as promiscuous as what the whispers depicted.

"Who'd you hear that from?" Fukunaga asked a short girl from another class, who had been his seatmate the previous year.

"Eh? Who?" She seemed to think for a moment. "I think it was a girl from class one? No, class two! I don't remember her name, though…" The girl apologized.

"It's fine, thanks." Fukunaga gave a small bow, before heading out on his way. He wanted to find the source by the end of this school day. He found Kenma sitting at his desk inside the classroom, giving him a nod before continuing onto the investigation of the female population. Fukunaga started with a brunette that he knew from his first year, who pointed him to another girl. And, from one until the next, he finally got three of them to confirm a single name: Nishimura Megumi. So, Fukunaga wrote down the girl's information and slid it onto Kenma's desk, leaving the rest to the boy. His work there was done.

Kenma, on the other hand, had another task assigned to him by Kuroo during morning practice. He was to keep the source of the rumors in his sights at all times and confirm the rumor origin. So, during breaks, contrary to his usual gaming schedule, the setter followed the blonde girl in question around, as inconspicuously as he could. He saw her talking to a girl from class one and yet another from class five, saying how she had heard rather interesting things from Chiharu. Kenma was certain that he couldn't keep his expression from becoming sour at the blatant lies and half-truths. It appeared that Nishimura Megumi had taken an innocent rumor of Kuroo and Chiharu discussing volleyball and spun it to her own liking. Kenma was even lucky enough to spot the pretty girl having lunch with an upperclassman, a young woman with glasses and her hair in a tight ponytail. Shamelessly, he snapped a picture of the scene and sent it to the team Line chat.

From there on, the boys had all commented there, deciding the best course of action to take. Unfortunately for their council of elders, though, Kuroo could be rather reckless when cornered. And, the scheming captain hated one thing more than losing in volleyball – being outmaneuvered in scheming. Naturally, the third-year hadn't shown up for their practice on time, not surprising his fellow volleyball players one bit. In fact, any of them were willing to bet a large sum of money that their captain was stalking the person they had been trying to get to become their manager. And, they had tasked Kenma with a 'capture and return' mission, much to his irritation.

 **That's all for now folks!**

* * *

 **Onto my absolute favorite part  
Reviews:**

 **UnmemorableHermit:  
Hello and thanks for the wonderful comment!  
I think that it was a mixture of Haru being an awkward mess and her brain shortcircuiting on the spot, but man was it glorious! I'm always happy to give you guys something to laugh about :D  
Hope you'll keep enjoying the story :D**

 **The Spade Queen:  
Hello! Thanks so much for the review and especially the PM, because I'm a ditz when it comes to updates xD  
Kuroo fics are few in number and I completely understand the hunt for a good one. That's actually one of the reasons I wrote the side fic. And after that… It all kinda spun out of control hahahaha  
If you're still looking for something Kuroo/OC to read, I could look through my alerts and give you a few names? Though there are some on AO3, as well :D  
Anyways, I'm so glad that you've enjoyed reading until now, and I hope that you will keep bugging me to update in the future xD I swear that it helps!  
All my best :)**

 **Moonlightshadowxiii:  
Hi! Oh my gosh three reviews I love youuuu! I'm going to answer them all in one reply :D  
Ch 1: I was hoping for at least a cackle, but screaming off the top of a mountain into the abyss works too xD Glad that you enjoyed their little confession issue hahhaha  
The omakes are life for me, really, so I'm super happy that you're getting a kick out of them :D  
Ch 2: Yamamoto is always life! Seriously, Tanaka, Noya and him are the perfect combination of insanity hahahaha More about Haru's family is going to come soon, promise :D  
I'm mostly testing out how I want to write each of the boys, hence all the omakes will definitely be from a different Nekoma player's perspective :)  
Ch 3: I see I see :D I'm deciding if Haru should go for the manager position, since it's a fairly common role that FFN authors give their OCs… It's still up for debate hahaha But, I do like the idea of her meeting all the crazy volley freaks from Haikyuu :P  
Thanks so much again, and I hope you're still reading!  
Cheers!**

 **Punktoacoustic:  
Hi and thank you soooo much! I'm an avid fanfic reader myself and I completely get those 'I can't stop reading even though it's an ungodly hour here' fics. I'm so happy that mine is one of those for you :D  
galjkghagalkjafljk Quality of writing :') Author's dream to read a comment about it! I'm glad that you've enjoyed the show up to here and I hope that you haven't given up on me in my 'brief' sabbatical from the fandom :D  
Cheers!**

 **Yesitsjennifer:  
Hi! Thanks so much for the long, amazing review which fed my soul :D  
I'm glad that you like the omakes, I have a lot of fun making them :) It's just me going: how ridiculous can this get, and running with the idea hahahaha  
Kuroo, as confident as he is, is a high schooler :P We gotta see him being awkward about something hahaha I figured that Yaku was a good option, since he is super friendly in my head for some reason xD  
I was lowkey aiming to give Haru a moment with each of the major players in Nekoma, but you've found me out! I wanted to give everyone a chance to get to know her and form their own relationship with her :D  
I'm sorry for my slowpoke writing, I promise a little bit of a faster update for the next one :D  
Cheers!**

 **Shadowing:  
Hi! Thanks so much for the lovely review! I'm always happy to get feedback :D  
What can I say, I'm one of those authors who loooove to torture their OCs as much as possible hahaha I promise that it will get better soon, though :D  
Yaku is precious and I adore writing him :) Glad that you enjoyed his reaction :D**

 **Tora3:  
Cheers! Thanks for another lovely comment!  
Rumors are hell. I mean it xD I had a nasty one circle around school about me and I couldn't get rid of it for weeeeeeks xD It was baaaad. We'll see what Haru does yet :D  
Oh gosh, as you can see, I'm bad at updating everywhere hahaha xD Hope you like Dangerous Liaisons though :P  
Best!**

 **sakuraddiction:  
Thanks for the review! I'm always happy to hear from you :D  
Wacky family antics? They are definitely coming up in the near future :D  
Kenma and Haru… Gosh, they'd be a force together… We'll see what happens yet :P  
Oh man, I don't know who I love more in Haikyuu, Kenma and Kuroo or Iwa and Oikawa… They are all so crazy when put together… Can you imagine Oikawa and Kuroo meeting? That would be troubleeee hahahaha  
Hope you're still reading and enjoying the fic!**

 **Yami Kozue-chii:  
Happy to see you in reviews again! I'm glad that you've been enjoying the show ;)  
I'm a bit of a slowpoke when it comes to writing because I end up circling through fandoms hahaha So, yeah, finally re-watching Haikyuu xD  
I hope you liked the update :D**

 **AmericanNidiot:  
Thanks so much for the review! I loved that comment xD I feel like Kuroo is depicted as too smooth in fanfiction and needed him to be a tad awkward hahahaha Anyways, I hope you'll keep enjoying the story!**

* * *

Omake:

An innocent, unassuming first-year girl was walking down the corridor. She felt great that day. Her high school years of romance and preparation for college had just started. She had managed to get in the same class as her best friend from middle school. Not to mention that her uniform fit perfectly and looked amazing on her. There was just one more thing to do in order to make her first year an amazing one…

"Anoo…" The girl froze in her tracks, turning around at the hand on her shoulder. "Sakamoto-chan, have you joined a club yet? Your friend told me that you were looking…" Sakamoto turned completely and found herself looking up, up, up, and… up.

"Eek!" the girl shrieked at the tall, no, humongous giant of a boy who was towering over her like some kind of a bent Mt. Fuji. He even had light colored hair, perfectly combed around his head. "Yes! No!" Sakamoto squeaked out.

"Umm, which is it?" the boy asked, head tilting to the side. "You see, I'm with the Boys' Volleyball Club and we're looking for a manager. So, if you haven't-" At some point Lev's eyes wandered away from the girl, looking after another first year he was planning on asking later.

"She's gone, Lev," Shibayama interrupted with pure pity on his face.

"Eh?!" Lev jumped and turned around, looking for Sakamoto. "When? Why? Why do they run, Shibayama-san?!" The libero just gave him a smile and encouraged him to look for another girl who hadn't joined a club.

 _Because you're scary as hell_ , Shibayama thought to himself.

* * *

 **Now, I'm done ;) I'll eagerly wait for feedback as I type the next chapter :D**


	5. Ladies and gentlemen, this is

**Hello my wonderful readers,**

 **I'm alive with another chapter after a bit of a break. I keep getting distracted hahahaha**

 **My thanks goes out to all my readers, followers and those who've added this story to their favorites. Special thanks to all those who reviewed, because that motivates me to write :)**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Ladies and gentlemen, this is...**

"Chiharu-chan?" Kuroo called out, entering the classroom. Sure enough, he found the target of his secret inquiry, a girl with a tight bun of wild dark hair on her head. She seemed to try to vanish into her desk when he called out for her, while her friend, the scary, short one, puffed out her chest, taking up the most terrifying weapon in existence, her bookbag. "I come in peace, I swear." Kuroo put up his empty hands, defensively.

"Akari, it's alright." Chiharu surprisingly piped up in a small voice. Kuroo decided that he definitely didn't like that tone on her. It didn't suit her at all. He preferred the girl who had flippantly rejected his non-confession.

"You sure?" Asked the scary friend with her bookbag gripped tight.

"Yeah." And with another glare at him, the short girl left the classroom. For a few moments, it was completely silent. Kuroo could clearly see that the dark-skinned girl was avoiding eye contact, as if he would disappear if she ignored him long enough. But, he had no intentions of vanishing just because Haru was uncomfortable. Kuroo thrived in uncomfortable, after all. A small sigh left his lips and he smirked, walking over to the desk in front of the girl's with a relaxed swagger to his long stride.

"So," Kuroo plopped down into the chair in front, delighting when Haru's eyes finally met his. "Apparently we're in some kind of a friends with benefits scheme, so I thought we'd try friends first?" He could actually see the change in the girl in front of him. In the silence that stretched between them, Haru stared straight into his eyes, unblinking. Her back straightened, her hands unclenched and she slowly closed her eyes.

"Dammit," the girl cursed under her breath. When her dark eyes opened again to look at him, it was like wasn't seeing him at all. Kuroo as quite familiar with that kind of a glint in an eye. Though, he mostly saw it in an opponent getting ready to spike as they reached the top of their jump. "I'm going to wring her neck I swear."

"Woah, woah, woah!" Kuroo didn't know how to stop the girl other than physically, as she jumped out of her seat with surprising speed. His hands caught Haru's, pulling her back down into the chair. "No maiming, please."

"Oh, there will be no maiming, I promise," Haru growled and he felt the muscles in her arms clench and unclench underneath his skin. "I'll just kill her and be done with it this time."

"I'm usually on board with a bit of rebellious acting out, but even I know that this won't end well," Kuroo was careful to talk to the obviously upset girl in a soft tone, like he was calming down a frightened animal. "Why don't you give me the details and we'll come up with a plan that doesn't end with you in jail for first degree murder?" Haru's eyes went up to his again and she stared at him for a second before bursting into laughter. Kuroo was, in all honesty, baffled.

"Have you ever had a nemesis?" Haru asked when she finally composed herself. "Like a person who's the complete opposite of you and always trying to ruin your life for some unknown reason?" Now that, Kuroo could relate to. He was well aware of the annoyed expression on his face as he let out a groan.

"One of those sneaky types?" Daishō Suguru's annoying scheming face appearing in Kuroo's mind.

"Ah, so you have," Haru gave him a sympathetic nod. "Well, welcome to the female population's version of scheming."

"Brutal," Kuroo nodded.

"Brutal doesn't cover it," Haru grumbled. "She's just a menace, that's what she is." The girl let out a soft sigh and slumped into her chair, head lolling back. A small whine-like sound left her, out of pure annoyance, the boy guessed.

"Well, rumors are rumors," Kuroo shrugged. "There's no stopping them really." Haru didn't rise from her position. "You can either wait it out or give them a juicier story." He suggested conversationally. A groan left the girl in front of him.

"I'm not stooping down to her level," her voice sounded weird from that position, Kuroo mused. "I won't attempt to outmaneuver her when it comes to rumors. I just want to sock her." He couldn't stop his chuckles after that one. He really couldn't. Kuroo had seen girls have verbal and physical fights before, but he'd never seen one actually punch another. And, with this girl, he was pretty certain that he would get that.

"Then, why don't you just let us handle it?" The third-year shrugged, successfully getting Haru's head to snap up. "We might not seem like it, but the team can do some serious damage control when necessary, even with rumors." She looked like a doe in headlights. Kuroo almost laughed. But, he managed to only keep his smug smirk on his lips.

"B-but why?" Haru asked, tilting forward. "I mean, I get that you need a manager. However, surely there are other options? I'm not even familiar with the sport!" Kuroo waved his hand to cut the girl off.

"It isn't about that at all," he shook his head. "Partially, it was our fault that this mess started. Well, mine mostly," his hand rose to mess with his hair nervously for a split second. "So, I just want to even it out." Haru opened her mouth, closed it and then did the same again. "Besides, if my generosity scores us a manager, the team would be ecstatic."

"What generosity!" She finally yelled out and hopped up from her seat. "You just said that it was your fault!" And Kuroo laughed.

* * *

Kenma returned to the gym without their Captain. As soon as the setter walked in, there were eyes on him. The team was practicing, as usual, but they spared a glance at the second-year as if they'd planned to do so. He shook his head, telling them that Kuroo was away on Kuroo business and that not even he could do anything about that. Then, he gave a small shrug, signaling that he had no idea how it would go.

"Kenma!" Naoi shouted, motioning to the court. "You're late! Get in there!" The setter nodded, mutely putting on his volleyball sneakers and walking over to his position by the net. He immediately got a ball tossed to him, which he set for Kai to spike over.

"Is she gonna kill him?" The third-year asked in a low tone when he landed. Kenma shrugged. "All options are still on the table then."

* * *

Haru didn't know what to make of Kuroo's plan. She was, first and foremost, surprised by the third-year. It was like he had some kind of compartmentalization in his head. He had laid out his plan for dealing with the rumors out for her, though she still had an inkling that he was holding something back. And then, like the whole mess had nothing to do with their need for a manager, he'd asked her to come and watch their practice game. Apparently, once she saw them play she'd be hooked on volleyball. Haru doubted it. But, she couldn't say no at the way he genuinely smiled and his whole face lit up when he talked about the sport. Besides, she had Kenma there if all else failed.

The girl didn't go straight home that day after school. She grabbed a bite to eat on the way to her work and went to make up her missed hours. Haru had gotten lucky with her part-time job. The boss was almost always away in Europe or South America, completing her new collection. So, most of the decisions were left with the manager of their home shop in Japan, who was good friends with Haru.

The studio wasn't far away from her school or home, just a few train stops away, and she made good time arriving. It was a small place, a two-story home and studio, where they did most of their developing and took some pictures. The outside was built in a modern style, decorated in red and gold with ghastly Chinese dragons which made the whole thing seem like an oriental restaurant. They got more than a few tourists coming in and asking about Chinese food. It was a running gag that the group should open up a small section outside where they could serve take-out. However, despite the odd outside of the studio, it was a well-known photography shop in the country. Mostly because of the owner's reputation, they got to work with models, film stars and various sports teams looking to promote themselves.

"Afternoon," Haru greeted, entering. The inside was completely modern, in white, black and grey, with a large countertop just as you entered. Behind it was a man in his twenties, still at the university, with an attractive face and a leisurely way about him. He was the manager and boss' right hand man, Kurosaki Satoshi.

"Hey, Haru," Satoshi greeted with a smile. As usual, he read her expression all too well. "Still doomsweek?" A single groan left the girl, sounding quite desperate, making the older boy laugh and wave her over behind the counter. "Alright, I won't pry. I'll even let you put on that silly music of yours while we have no customers." Grinned the manager, reaching over and ruffling Haru's already messy hair.

"Salsa is definitely not silly, Satoshi." She retorted, letting him make her resemble Cousin It. Haru had learned within her first week on the job that trying to go against Satoshi was pointless. He didn't seem like it, with his hoodies and cargo pants, but the young man was a force of nature. An unmovable force of nature. He liked to say that it was his star sign, Taurus, which made him so. Haru didn't believe it. But, whatever Satoshi wanted, he got. While that wasn't Haru's ideal workplace environment, seeing as they didn't like the same food or music, it was great for on-site jobs. Satoshi didn't bend the knee to their clients and he always convinced them to do exactly what he wanted, even if it took a bit of time.

Haru quickly got to work as soon as her belongings were on the hanger and her playlist was fed to the computer. With the familiar sounds of Cuba in the background, the girl swayed her hips, humming as she started sifting through numerous photos taken that day. Most of them were portraits, in need of a few touch-ups before being developed or emailed to their owners.

The girl tuned out Satoshi who was working on his most recent photos while humming under his breath. Though, the latter action did bring a smile to her face. Despite his reluctance to accept her music preferences, he had spent a lot of time listening to salsa music. Haru started sorting through photos, placing them in client subfolders under different steps of what needed to be done with the pictures. She took breaks when a client walked in to give them information about their services or take photos for IDs or passports. Satoshi was only called once, for a family portrait. The rest, Haru knew very well how to do herself.

Time passed quickly for the girl while she was working. It was always like that. If school was a slow day of boring information being forcefully fed into her brain, work was an endless pleasure, despite the seemingly tedious tasks. Sorting images, doing basic touch-ups, emailing and calling clients, even cleaning the equipment and the studio was connected to Haru's passion. And, it was an odd passion for her family.

They hadn't known what to do with her affinity for the camera at first. After all, none of the other family or extended family had an artistic bone in their body. But, for some reason, ever since she'd gotten a silly little baby blue polaroid camera for her birthday one year, Haru hadn't left photography. Looking back on those fading polaroids, they were quite bad. Though, Haru still had more than a few pinned on her corkboard, as a reminder of the origin of her passion.

The Sakurano family was a sports family, through and through. Her mother, Sakurano Niko, was a well-known sports reporter who had travelled the world with their ice-skating Olympics team more than once. Her father Dalian, despite being fully Cuban, had been a pro-athlete and then a coach for the Men's National Soccer Team. Even her brother and sister, despite having their careers in medicine and modeling, were known as athletes. Haru's brother, Daichi, had played basketball for a long time and her sister, Chihiro, had been into synchronized swimming. Haru… she was not into any sport. They'd tried, they really had, to get her to play a sport. However, Chiharu was the dud of the family. Rather than train hard and compete, the girl would take the train as far away from home as possible, to get as many shots on her camera of the unknown.

Even if she were just a grunt at her workplace, Haru enjoyed it. She got to see what it would mean to own her own studio someday. She had insight into the delicate procedures that happened behind the counter of the photography shop. She had a chance to learn from the best and hopefully become the best.

"I'm done for today," Satoshi called out, stretching in his rolling chair. "Can you lock uuooaahp?" He yawned as his body tensed, before releasing the tension along with a sigh from his mouth. He'd been sitting in the same position for hours, after all.

"Of course," Haru nodded. "Should I pay attention to anything? Leave a note for Miki in the morning?" Miki was the other part-timer, from University. She was a completely over the top goth girl who worked mornings, attending her classes in the afternoon.

"Yeah," Satoshi seemed to be half asleep, his eyes closed. "Yamashita needs his pictures for the passport ASAP. Also, the family portraits from last week need to be sent out or called in," the young man paused. "I feel like I'm forgetting a thing." Haru shook her head with a small smile.

"If you give me a hint, I could help?" She suggested. That was Satoshi, alright. As brilliant as he was when it came to work, he was horrible at tasks. If you gave him three drawn sheep, he'd probably lose one somewhere, somehow.

"I don't remember." He shrugged, giving up. "Oh, can you work overtime on Saturday? Bonus, of course." Satoshi asked as he closed his laptop and started packing his things.

"Of cours- Oh," Haru's brain stopped her with a smiling face of a certain vexing third-year. She scowled. "I can't, I'm sorry." At that, Satoshi stopped packing and turned around, a sly grin on his face.

"Ooooooh?" That was a bad 'oh'. Haru knew that sound. It was the sound of Satoshi being a little bit too interested in something. And, he'd already been too interested in Nekoma High's rumor mill.

"I just have plans. I'm sorry," Haru tried to evade him by looking back at the screen, creating a note for Miki to find in the morning.

"Sooooo," Satoshi hopped onto the counter right next to the PC keyboard, fully dressed in his jacket with his laptop bag over his shoulder. "You're going to do something with that troublesome volleyball captain, aren't you?" Curse Miki for telling him, Haru groaned.

"I'm just going to see a game."

"Oooooh!" Satoshi's legs swung over the counter and he headed for the exit. But, not before being even more childish. With the door open, he tossed a sly look at Haru and grinned. "Ooooo-ho-ho-ho-hoooo!" Then, he was gone, leaving the girl to laugh to herself.

* * *

"A game?" Kai asked in disbelief as the boys ran laps in the dark morning. "You invited her to a game?" Kuroo nodded, his bedhead flopping everywhere. The team ignored it, as usual, used to the morning messiness that was their captain.

"I don't see how a game will fix anything," Yaku piped up, panting a bit as he caught up to Kuroo and Kai. "The rumors won't just go away if Haru comes to see us play." Kuroo laughed with a self-satisfactory smile on his face.

"But, is our goal to vanquish the rumors or to get a manager?" He asked them with a knowing smirk. Yaku groaned.

"We clean up the rumors first." The libero seemed to be having none of their captain's usual nonsense that day. Maybe it was the early hour. Yaku seemed to be grumpier the earlier their practice ran. "You made a mess, Kuroo."

"I didn't!" The third-year defended in a fairly exasperated tone. "She made a mess by calling me out like a rejected confession!"

"You confessed to her?" Yamamoto chose the perfect moment to jog up to the trio and join in. "Where did you get the bravery to confess to such a beautiful Goddess?" Kuroo let out a sigh, turning to their ace.

"Like I said, she misinterpreted it as a confession. I was just-"

"Ah, at this rate, we'll lose Haru," Yaku concluded, cutting Kuroo off. "And with Lev and Inuoka scaring off all the first years, I'll be on phone duty until I graduate." Kai nodded along, causing Kuroo to finally snap.

"I see, I see," Kuroo grinned toothily, making the nearby volleyball players groan. That smile always meant trouble. "Energy of youth, isn't it?" The captain turned around, jogging backwards and nodded at the rest of the team. "Let's pick up the pace at the request of your fellow volley freaks!" And his long legs started eating up the ground much faster when he turned once again, making the whole team groan. Perhaps, they shouldn't've teased him so much.

* * *

Haru woke up at half past four feeling completely groggy. She didn't know how, but getting up in time for volleyball practice two days in a row had her sleeping pattern completely confused. It seemed that the rooster that usually pecked her awake in her brain had accepted four thirty as its new default and it had started going insane when she didn't rise by that time. So, Haru was up, feeling like she'd gotten hit by a bus. Luckily, it was Friday and her afterschool plans were nil. She would be able to return home and get some more, much needed, shut-eye.

But, it seemed that that morning she would be getting no more sleep. So, the girl rose, went through her morning routine and settled into the empty kitchen at the counter to get some quick breakfast. She didn't even bother turning on the TV to rumble in the background and create a sense of fullness to the home. Instead, Haru finished up the last of her homework and revised her history notes as she ate.

As soon as that was done, her mind wandered away from the schoolwork and back to the current drama with the Volleyball Club. Kuroo had seemed set on having her as a manager. She really didn't understand his type. Haru had known the boys for only two days and the whole team seemed a little to attached to her already. Yaku had texted her an apology, hoping that their captain hadn't overdone it and offended her. Kenma she'd seen at school the previous day and he'd even mutely nodded at her. She'd also recognized the intense stare that vanished as soon as she turned to find the source, which could only be the quite memorable Yamamoto.

Why? Haru didn't understand. She didn't know them. They didn't know her. Why couldn't they just leave her alone and pretend that all of those events from the last week hadn't happened. She would be happy with that. She could be happy with that. Happy? Well, not really happy. Indifferent. Haru knew how to be indifferent. She didn't care much for clubs or investing in them. What would that bring her? Happiness? Sense of fulfillment? Not really. There was only one thing which made her brain go into overdrive and it wasn't sport.

Photography was her thing. A camera store was her idea of a good time. An exhibition was her ideal date. Hanging around a court with a bunch of yelling boys throwing themselves after a ball was nothing special. It was the usual. It was what she'd done around her father back when he'd played. It was what she'd done around his team afterwards. And then, she'd gone to bring her brother lunch while he practiced. Even after that, Haru had watched her sister's occasional competition. Sport wasn't anything she wanted to be a part of. People who were invested in it were alright to be around, but nothing special. She didn't know how to be happy while she watched and cheered them on.

Her father always said that those who played sports were good people. Some were dishonest, but deep down, they were still good. The desire to win something as simple as a game brought out the best in people, he'd say. Were Kuroo and his team like that? Did they genuinely want her to be the manager and wished to solve the mess that had been made at the school? Haru didn't know. Her mind was a mess and she had zero energy that she could spare to deal with it. But, she'd already agreed to give them a chance. She would let them do what they could and then decide what to do when all the pieces fell in place.

With a small sigh, Haru stood from the kitchen stool. She put her dishes in the sink, grabbed her things and after her shoes were on her feet, she was out of the door. Her music for the morning was an old Cuban record. The slow rhythm of Chan Chan through her earbuds made her mood lift as she travelled to school. She didn't even dread feeling the stares of the students infected by vicious rumors that much. At least, she didn't while she was in her Cuban bubble.

* * *

A hand on her shoulder made Haru jump and whip her head around. She almost felt sorry for the closed-eyed face that she was met with. Her wild hair had obviously hit her senpai quite hard due to the quick movement.

"Listening to something good?" Kuroo opened his eyes and that lazy smirk made its way onto his lips. Haru was beginning to hate that scheming smile.

"Nothing you'd like," she retorted with a definitive tone. Her mood was not the best and, in all honesty, she just wanted him to go away for the morning. Couldn't he come and bother her in the afternoon, when her patience was awake?

"Try me," apparently Kuroo wasn't one of the guys who got the hint. "I'm quite open-minded when it comes to music." Or he did get the hint, but was simply choosing to wave at it as it passed by. Regardless, Haru shook her head and obliged, offering one earbud to him. He graciously accepted it with an extravagant bow and then motioned for her to keep walking towards the school. As if on cue while the senior was positioning the earbud, the song changed. The upbeat tempo of Mambo Number 5 was always a thing that cheered Haru up. That time was no exception.

As Kuroo frowned, walking by her but still listening, the girl started humming the melody and then joined in with the lyrics at some point. She wasn't even aware of her head slowly starting to bob to the beat. The short walk from the school entrance to the second-years' floor seemed even quicker and Haru was disappointed when she had to stop, looking up to her unusually silent companion. Kuroo, much to her surprise, was nodding along with the song and looked like was genuinely enjoying the music. As the tune finished, he took out the earbud and gave it back to her.

"Odd, but nice," the third-year smirked at her and Haru found herself smiling back. "Not my usual jam, but an interesting expansion to my narrow horizons."

"Next time you'll have to show me your preferences then." What was she saying? There would be no next time. And why was she smiling and felt so relaxed, as if she were talking to Akari?

"Till next time, then." And with a small wave, Kuroo went further up the stairs to his floor. Haru stood for a few seconds, still, before she headed to her classroom. Surprisingly, her groggy bad mood was completely gone and she couldn't stop humming the familiar tune of Mambo Number 5.

* * *

 **Thank you all for reading, I hope you enjoyed the chapter :D**

 **Reviews:**

 **yunocchin08:  
Thank you very much for taking the time to review :D I'm sorry I'm such a slow updater xD  
If you're looking for something similar, I wrote some drabbles before this and you can find them on my profile. That is, if you haven't read them already xD  
I hope you're going to keep enjoying the story :) **

**curlystruggle:  
Oh gosh! You made me so happy with all the reviews!  
I'm glad you enjoyed the first meeting between Kuroo and Haru xD I really loved writing that part and I'm glad it cracked you up :P  
Chiharu's sister is a… topic? It will come up again and I swear that there are reasons to her being such a brat xD More to come on that topic :)  
Hahaahahaha the omakeeees I love making omakes xD They are always the most fun :P  
I swear, that evil little girl is my next topic that's coming up :D I can't wait for the rumor plot to be over so that we can get to the volleyball plot :D  
thanks again for all the reviews and I hope you'll keep enjoying the show!**

 **Moonlightshadowxiii:  
Hiiiiiiiii! Your reviews are always so long they make me so happy :D  
I'm sorry I made you wait again xD I'm a horrible slowpoke… I got into this online game… then I decided to do that game and also switch majors and yeahhhh the rest is history xD Something had to give and writing was that temporarily… But, not I'm free till October :D WRITING TIME!  
I'm so happy you like my writing… Like, gosh, that's really the best thing a writer can hear xD No matter how much praise I get, I always have self-doubts xD  
I feel giddy while reading reviews, so that makes us even? :P  
Aaaah the backstory… I love backstories… Like character strength in their original form is something I'm such a huuuuge sucker for… There are fanfics which do right by it, however, most forget that their OC was a person before they met their significant other and that makes for a toxic relationship in my opinion… However, there are books which do right by character backstories :) Those make me giddy as heck xD I promise that Haru will get in with the volleyball boys, but she needs to have Haru friends and Haru time too :D  
Teamwork is ughhhh I'm a sucker for teams doing stuff outside of their sport… Like, if you've seen Prince of Tennis, they have a lot of fillers where that happers *_* So much love for that show sometimes XD We will see how this whole thing develops yet, though :P I'm so glad that you like my fic T_T People like you make me write :D  
Awwwwww you're a sweetheart xD I'm always happy to write, even if I have a few readers, as long as they appreciate the time and effort it takes to write and have fun reading through my stuff :D  
You recommended my ficcccssss omg xD I'm so honored thanks! I'm always happy when that happens xD  
Feel free to write anything to me, I'm always happy to hear what people think while reading my stuff :D I love long comments, so you could never be a bore :) The best thing to me is when the review is so long I can't view it all on my email but have to open the website to see the whole thing xD  
I hope you have a great time reading this chapter :D  
All my best!**

 **Tora3:  
No no no, thank you for the review XD  
I always somehow seem to breeze through the anime and then end up writing nothing when I'm done XD Or, like, I'll find myself thinking up OCs and plots and be like no focus ffs girl xD It's hard haahahhaha  
Totally shojo manga style! I can't help it xD I'm a shojo fan deep down :P I had to give some kind of drama though and this was the easiest one :P  
Hope you enjoyed the chapter! **

**Kimikokimono:  
I know I know XD I'm a horrible slowpoke with updates… I'll try to keep them semi-consistent, but I sometimes just hit a wall where I'm just sitting and staring at a blank page for half an hour xD but, yeah… I'll do my best XD**

 **Bookdragonslayer:  
Lev is love please XD I can't help it I love Nekoma people too much xD They are all hilarious I just wanna watch them for hours… I need more Nekoma screen timeeeeeeeee! Gimmie season 4 now xD Gimmie season 5 too! Gimmie Nekoma OVAs xD  
Akari is a beast xD She's all nice and quiet and all that, till you piss her off xD Growing up with brothers will do that to you :P  
Hope you enjoyed the update! **

**The Spade Queen:  
Hiiii! Thanks for the review :D  
Kuroo is… reckless for sure xD But, he has the charm to back it up, so he can afford to be xD I have a friend who's like that… I always forgive him for whatever he does, all he needs to do is smile xD And, like, his heart is in the right place, just like with Kuroo… so, yep :)  
Hope you enjoyed the chapter! **

**Yami Kozue-chii:  
Uwaaaa glad to see your name in reviews!  
I have to be honest, part of me being slow is that I got really into this online game… and I've been playing super competitively for the last year xD then, I decided to switch majors, so I had to leave my college and study for an exam to get into another one… Urgh… Well, at least I'm safely in now, so I have some free time for writing until October comes :D  
I promise to try and update a bit more regularly… But, I'm a lazy bum xD  
All my best!**

* * *

Omake:

Yamamoto Taketora didn't seem like the type to know many people. However, when push came to shove, it turned out that he knew more than a few. Not many girls. Girls were a troublesome sort for him. They somehow made his brain short-circuit and his tongue swell up and drop dead in his mouth. They were a troublesome, magical sort.

But, when it came to boys, Yamamoto knew almost everyone at school. Some he'd met through sports, others he knew from middle school and then there were even those who had been introduced to him as a 'friend of a friend' person. He didn't really know them all well, but he said hi and they greeted him back.

So, Yamamoto had quickly gotten started on the secret section of Kuroo's plan. When the unlikely ace of Nekoma thought about it, it was a logical step. What was the best way to snuff out a rumor cruising among the female population? Spread doubt from the male part. So, in casual conversation, he began hinting and talking about the topics his captain had mentioned. Soon enough, the boys he chatted with would go back to their girlfriends and would definitely mention the contradictory rumors if the topic came up.

Though, Yamamoto still couldn't help the intense grin that came onto his face whenever the thought of his success entered his brain. If he did good on his mission, they would get a manager, after all. A cute, girl for a manager. Sakurano Chiharu. He'd written down her name as a self-imposed goal. She would be their manager if he could do anything about it.

Yamamoto grinned, walking towards his classroom after a successful counter-rumor chat with a few boys from the soccer team, both with girlfriends. He cackled loudly and made a few passing girls jump and turn, before hurriedly walking away from him, whispering to each other.


	6. Am I alright?

**Hello and welcome!**

 **I'm a slow updater, as always, but I hope you guys are still reading.**

 **I've recently caved and found some time to watch Kaicho wa Maid-sama, which kinda threw me back to this story. The dynamics between the main pair in that anime are just so similar to the Kuroo/Haru relationship! I couldn't help myself and ended up typing a bit.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 6: Am I alright?**

Kuroo was not stupid. After he'd had a chance to see Haru in action, when she had no idea how to be a volleyball manager, he had realized why Nekomata had wanted _her._ She was from a sporty family, with some kind of medical background, which was painfully obvious even without asking about her. And, after he _had_ asked about, he'd found out her mother's name. Sakurano Niko, a legend. She had built herself from nothing, rising to fame as a sports reporter after being a figure skater for years. An injury had ended her career, but she'd never strayed far from the sport.

The volleyball captain had actually had to Google Sakurano Niko in order to find out more about Haru's family, though. Apparently, the father of the family was a Cuban man, whose picture wasn't available online. He was the one who had the medical background that Kuroo had noticed in Haru. Being a professional soccer player for years, he'd switched to coaching after years of playing on a world stage. There was information of him going to medical school during his coaching years, so that he could become the on-site medic, as well. Truly, Kuroo was surprised how Haru hadn't gone on a more athletic journey during both her middle and high school years.

Kuroo had shamelessly tried to bribe Naoi into borrowing Haru's student file from the teacher's offices, just for a few hours, so he could get some more insight. But, the assistant coach had simply given him an icy look and walked away. So, without any additional knowledge, Kuroo knew that he had to get Haru. He needed her to be their manager for them to be great. It was his last year to do something meaningful for Nekoma.

He barely slept during the night and rose surprisingly early on Saturday morning. He felt like his limbs were weighted down by some invisible force and Kuroo barely managed to drag himself to the kitchen. He ate little and almost fell asleep while reading through his notes on the team they had the practice match with. It wasn't a well-known Tokyo school, but a small visiting one from the countryside. Kuroo had only seen them play once, two years ago. Surely, their line-up had already changed.

"Practice match today?" Kuroo's head snapped up and he spun around to find his mother, still in her nightgown and a matching robe, leaning against the doorway.

"Yes," he nodded, turning back to his papers. "There's coffee."

"Thank God." His mother walked over, pouring herself a cup and sitting down next to him. She peered over at his notes and frowned at them. "I feel like I'm missing out so much of your youth because I'm so lost with all," she waved at the notes, "this…"

"Not at all, mom," Kuroo smiled at her and packed the notes into his jersey pocket. "You could bear to come see a game or two, though."

"And you could bear to bring a girl home for your mother to see once or twice, you know." The woman countered with a grin, so similar to his own, right back. Kuroo felt heat creep up onto his cheeks and nose instantly.

"No way!" He protested. "You'd scare any girl I could ever bring here." His mother laughed and reached over, messing up his hear even further. Kuroo wriggled away, trying to get away from her outstretched hand. "Oh, God, woman, stop!" He finally gave up and jumped up and away from his seat, grabbing his bag. "It's already messy enough!"

"Win a lot!" His mother waved him out and Kuroo raised his hand back as he was leaving through the front door. He was ready to give his best performance, not so much for his team, but mostly for Haru. It would be a show for her, and her only, because they _needed_ her.

* * *

"Shut that damn thing off, would you?!" Haru gasped, jumping up in her bed at her sister's yell. Chihiro was home, for once, apparently. As her phone blared once more, vibrating all over her nightstand, she hurriedly grabbed it before it could ring again. Haru didn't want to get one more scolding from her sister, after all. However, luck wasn't on her side that day, apparently. Her bedroom door slammed open and there was her sister, facemask on and hair still in colorful foam rollers. "Why do you need to wake up with so many alarm clocks one after the other? They've been blaring for hours!"

"I'm sorry, I- hours?!" Haru looked down at her phone, noticing the time on the locked screen and instantly she lost her breath. Ignoring the rest of her sister's nagging she jumped up and out of her bed, rushing for the shower, grabbing things along the way.

"I hope you drown in the shower!" Was her sister's parting shout before the bathroom doors slammed shut and Haru jumped under cold water. She let out a little squeal, quickly turning the heat up. However, the water stayed icy.

"Chihiro, the shower's broken!" Haru yelled out, pulling the curtain to hop out.

"No, I just took a long one." Her sister was standing right outside the bathroom door, sounding muffled. However, even through the barrier Haru could tell that Chihiro had that telltale smirk on her face.

"Damn it." The girl took a deep breath and jumped back into the shower, submitting to the icy water.

"Enjoy your day, sis." Chihiro finally walked off as Haru's toes started losing feeling in the cold water. Needless to say, it was one of the fastest showers she'd taken in a while. She rushed washing her hair and quickly hopped out. As she toweled off, her limbs slowly regained some feelings in them.

"Damn it." Haru glanced into the mirror, seeing that her curls were already drying, rising wildly around her head. She didn't have the time to attempt to tame them, though. So, she toweled her hair and quickly tied it up in a tight bun. Then, her clothes were on her and she was out the door, rushing to get her things and run to the train station. Otherwise, she would be late for the practice match she had promised to attend.

* * *

"Kuroo, fifteen minutes," Kai nodded to his Captain as he was leaving the changing room. "Don't be late."

"Have I ever been late?" Kuroo smirked back, but the door was already closed. He shook his head with a laugh. He began sliding his jersey pants off when he heard it. There was a faint sound of buzzing in the empty changing room. Kuroo stepped out of the pants, leaving him in the red Nekoma volleyball shorts, and began sifting through haphazardly thrown clothing. Finally, he managed to locate and dig out his own buzzing cellphone. He almost dropped it right back down into the pile of shirts, though, when he saw the name on the screen.

"Oya? This is quite the unexpected-"

"Where the heck is the damn gym?" Haru's breathless voice literally short-circuited his brain.

"What?"

"No, not what," Haru sounded like she was walking quite quickly, steps and cars in the background, along with her short and quick breaths straight into the microphone. " _Where_ is the darn thing?" Kuroo forced his brain to process the words.

"Didn't they send you the map and directions? I asked Ya-"

"Morisuke did, but it's wrong." Kuroo sighed, taking the phone away from his ear as Haru rambled to glance at the time. "-and then I got off the train and I went back a street, like he said I should, and then I-" she was rambling again, and as endearingly cute as he found it, he couldn't afford it, time-wise, at that moment.

"Oi, Haru," but she kept going, making Kuroo sigh. "Haru! Oi!" Finally, there was just silence and quick breaths on the other end of the line. "Good, listening, a step up." He heard her scoff and instantly interrupted because she seemed to be in a tirade mood. "Link me your location on the map via Line, I'll come pick you up."

"Ok, hang on." The breaths faded out, the sound of her phone buzzing with each key the loudest thing Kuroo could hear. Then, his own phone vibrated. He quickly looked down opening Line and taking a look at where she was. In the middle of nowhere, he realized. She was in the middle of darn nowhere. "Am I close?" Haru's muted voice came from the phone in his hands.

"Oh geez," Kuroo sighed, putting the speaker back to his ear. "Look, you're not that far," he tried to deliver that fact that she was lost as heck with a soft blow. "I need you to go back to the train station and go one more stop, though."

"Wait, what?" Her steps halted and her voice went a bit higher in pitch. "You're joking, right?" Kuroo glanced quickly at the clock on his phone before putting it back to his ear.

"Better run, too." He grabbed his jersey jacket and his match sneakers from the pile of clothes and ran out of the changing room. "I'll meet you at the train station, go go go!"

"Alright!" And the line cut off.

* * *

Haru wasn't a very athletic girl. She could run for her life if it came down to it, but it certainly wasn't a thing she would do just for anyone. She was, in fact, the kind of person who wouldn't bother running from the train station to the school if there was only five minutes left on the clock before class. No, she would rather be late, apologize and enter without being short of breath. So, this was definitely a first for her.

Later, when she thought back to that first Nekoma game she ever saw, she figured that she had, even back then, began to care about the team. She'd wanted to give them a chance to impress her, to lure her in, because, in the end, she'd wanted to _belong_. It had been worth the sweat and the stitch in her side which just wouldn't go away.

She got lucky with the train. It arrived just as she was entering the platform, making her dash madly towards the doors before they could close in front of her. That one single stop was the longest one she'd experienced, sans perhaps the first time she'd gone to her workplace. Her leg couldn't stop tapping nervously and she kept checking her watch, on the underside of her wrist, like the time would stop flowing if she just willed it to.

Finally, the doors opened and she managed to spot the telltale messy bedhead waiting for her. Kuroo had his volleyball jacket on over his match clothes and he was holding his sneakers in one hand. His eyes found hers and he waved her over with hurried motions.

"C'mon, c'mon!"

"I'm going!" Haru argued back as she pushed through the crowd to him. As soon as she was close enough, he grabbed her hand and pulled her to his body.

"We have-" Kuroo glanced at the station clock, "-five minutes to make an epic entrance into warm-ups. Can you run all the way?" Haru's eyes widened in disbelief as she looked up at him, ready to protest. "Good, you have the energy to argue, means you've got the energy to run. Lightspeed!" And his hand didn't leave hers, instead pulling her behind him through the crowd.

They exited in a completely unfamiliar area to the girl, but obviously not to Kuroo. Haru could barely keep her thoughts straight, as she fought to focus on _breathing_ , and not _suffocating_ , as the third year set an insane pace. They went through buildings, around corners and finally cut across a small park. The whole running trip of anguish seemed much longer than five minutes to her. Yet, when Kuroo finally stopped, she was still somehow standing on her own two feet.

"You alright?" He asked, sparing her a quick glance as he opened the gate and led her through.

"No." Haru gasped, her legs protesting each and every step.

"Maybe you ought to join our morning training from time to time?" Cheeky. He was beyond cheeky.

"Maybe you ought to send me a solid map to this godforsaken place?" He had the gall to laugh at her, which made her scoff.

"You'll have to take that one up with Yaku." They were at the gym door at that point, she could hear balls bouncing off the floor and boys calling out for spikes. "If you'd asked me for a map, I would've taken you here instead. We live close enough." Haru looked at the boy as he let go of her hand to change his sneakers. She had thought about asking him to take her. Yet, somehow, she'd felt awkward about it. Kuroo, while he seemed nice enough, put her on edge in a way. It was like he could see through her front whenever their eyes met. It was like he knew everything that she was thinking, even though that sounded ridiculous. Nobody was that perceptive.

"It's fine, I'm here on time, aren't I?" She shot back defensively. The look he gave her told her he was semi-hurt by that statement. But, then, his expression changed and he gave her a small smirk.

"True, you look awfully cute so disheveled and red-faced." Her hands immediately flew to her head, realizing that half of her hair had spilled from the messy bun she'd put it in. "Let's go." Haru was certain that the redness of her face, at that very moment, had nothing to do with the small marathon she'd just run. No, it was that big, warm hand, with the slender fingers and a tight grip which made her feel self-conscious about every single thing she'd chosen to do and wear that day. Kuroo would be the death of her, she realized.

* * *

"Haru-chan, the score." Lev reminded her again, making her snap out of her daze and move the sheet of paper up, so that the number switched. She could swear that she had been holding her breath between each call for a point during the match. In fact, by the tightness in her chest, she most definitely was. Even the pain in her legs, which were still trembling from her run, didn't bother her any longer.

The boys were simply amazing. There was no other word for it. Every jump was perfect. Every dig was on time. Every step was calculated. By far, Kenma, Kuroo and Yaku were the most impressive. The setter knew exactly where and when to look to confuse his opponents as he directed the ball in an unassuming direction. Kuroo was always where he needed to be, whether to spike, block or fly across the floor to catch the ball before it dropped by the tips of his long fingers. Yaku was the soft presence in the back, seemingly unimportant, but actually the person who always kept the ball in the air. In the end, Nekoma won an overwhelming victory. It was as if the other team couldn't score at all. And, Haru felt like her Saturday wasn't wasted at all. Even the run to the gym had been worth seeing the boys doing their absolute best in a match. It was nothing like the practice, where they all fumbled to do their parts, trying out new things.

She didn't hand out the water bottles or hang around the coaches' bench at the end. Instead, she headed for the entrance of the gym, waiting there for the players. They came one after the other, all greeting her with huge smiles and sharing a few words about the game with her before leaving for the changing room. The last to exit was Kuroo. He waited a bit until Haru was finished with a loud exchange with Inuoka, who high fived her multiple times.

"So, what did you think?" The Captain finally asked, his game sneakers in his hand as the two left the gym together.

"It was amazing!" Haru couldn't hold in her excitement. She could still feel the adrenaline rushing through her veins, as if she'd played in the match herself. "The jumps- spikes! They were so awesome! And that one ball when Yaku ran all the way to the back wall to get it, he's amazing! You're amazing! Nekoma team is so cool!" Heat spread across her face after she realized that she was gushing, her hand coming to her mouth to stop it from chattering on and on.

"We are, aren't we?" Kuroo agreed with a smirk. "So, now that you know what we're working towards, you can make your decision." He nodded, as if satisfied with himself and began to make his way towards the changing room. But, a small hand gripping the edge of his jersey stopped him. Haru couldn't bring herself to look into his eyes as she spoke. Instead, she focused on his sneakers. They were safe.

"Is it alright, for someone like me?" Her voice came out softer than she had intended it to be.

"Eh?"

"I've already caused enough trouble with rumors." Haru continued, making her voice a bit louder. She was terrified that it would break if she kept talking, though. "I'm troublesome for you guys."

"Do you really think we care?" Kuroo asked, shrugging. This time, Haru's head snapped up, eyes wide. "Of course, we care that the rumors were spread. Because we were all pretty mad about it." Kuroo elaborated when he noticed her look. His eyes softened and one hand came up to ruffle her hair, which was still in a tight bun. "But we want you as our manager. We'll deal with any trouble that brings as a team." His fingers proceeded to tuck in the stay curls which had come loose during their mad dash for the gym behind her ears.

"So, you're alright with me?" Haru asked again, unable to stop her voice from trembling.

"If you're alright with us?" The Captain shot back. Then, a wide grin spread across her lips. Kuroo's face instantly got that telltale smirk on it. "We're a bit of a zoo, though, fair warning." Haru couldn't help herself. She laughed.

"I couldn't've put that better myself." She grinned up at the boy, noticing that his cheeks had flushed. "But, I don't mind the unruliness. I like that you guys are loud."

"Then, I'll see you Monday morning, bright and early?" He asked. The girl eagerly nodded, finally letting go of his jersey and giving him a small wave as she walked towards the train station with a huge grin on her face. For some reason, unknown to him, Kuroo couldn't move from the spot until she vanished behind the gates. That whole weekend, he couldn't keep the image of Sakurano Chiharu walking away with a huge smile out of his head.

* * *

"Papa?" Haru called out to the large man sitting in front of the TV, watching a soccer game. Caballero Dalian, also known as Dari-san in the neighborhood, was the definition of standing out. He was a tall Cuban man of tanned skin and imposing stare. He had been the talk of the area when he'd moved in with her mother. But, nowadays, he was the favorite person to ask for if you needed something heavy moved or if you needed to go to the hospital for an injury. Although Dalian had let go of his family medical career, as both his brothers were famous surgeons, he still had connections. Despite the fact that he lived in Japan, the Caballero method was one of the surgical techniques taught at all the colleges. His last name held a certain weight in any hospital.

"My little spitfire," the man looked up at his younger daughter, taking his eyes away from the soccer game which was getting on his nerves. That goalie needed more training. "Everything alright at school? Any boys I should scare off?" Haru laughed, plopping down next to him.

"Everything is great." She snuggled into his side when he extended his arm expecting it. "The boys are nice, too." The large man hummed, the sound carrying through her small frame. It was odd for Dalian to be at home on a Sunday. Typically, he would be away on games, following their National Men's Soccer Team wherever it went. He was the head coach and the on-site medic, after all. "I was wondering if you could help me out with something, though." So, Haru knew that she would need to make use of the opportunity when it had presented itself so nicely.

"Oh? I'm crap at math, let me remind you of that fact." The girl chuckled, and shook her head.

"I was asked to be the manager of the volleyball team at school." Instantly, the man's demeanor changed. He took the remote and turned the TV off, sitting up straight on the couch and turning to his daughter to look at her.

"You're gonna do it?" He asked.

"I think so." She nodded. "I had my reservations, but the team seems nice. And the Captain is pretty set on having me and me only as their manager." Dalian leaned into the couch then, taking a good look at his daughter's face. While she seemed anxious about her statement, she also looked determined. Like that time she had told him she didn't want to do any sports, dropping basketball in favor of photography. He had bought her the best camera money could buy after her statement and did his everything he could to support her in all her picture-taking endeavors.

"I see." Dalian smiled at her, nodding. "I'm glad that you're finally joining a club, spitfire." His smile was always infectious to her. Haru found her mouth stretching as wide as it could as she grinned.

"That's why I wanted to ask you," she continued. "I've noticed that the boys move a bit slowly when I was at their practice. Is there any way to improve on their grip on the floor? Make them get to where they need to be in time?" Dalian laughed, pulling the girl in for a hug, ruffling her hair and making it an untableable mess.

"Already thinking like a coach, I've taught you well." He told her when he let her go. "Let me see." The man took his phone, opening the weather app. "Looks like it's going to be warm and sunny for a while still. Why don't you take them to the beach?" Haru tilted her head to the side, digesting the clue she'd just been given.

"The beach?"

"Yeah, here." Dalian typed something on his phone, her own buzzing from her pocket. "I've sent you Kurosaki's contact. If you manage to clear it all with the school, call him and let him know I told you to do so. He should be able to hook you up with some nice training facilities in Okinawa."

"That's… a bit far isn't it?" Haru took out her phone, flipping it open and looking up the time they would need to travel to Okinawa. "Six hours by train or a little bit over two by plane." She mused, opening her father's text and saving the number he'd sent her under 'Kurosaki Okinawa'.

"See if you can get the money from the school for club activities to travel there." Her father supplied. "They should be able to give you enough for the train tickets. If you can get an early one, the team can catch up on their sleep during the ride and you can begin training on the first day already." Haru looked up from her screen, inspecting her father's face. He had a loving look in his eyes. Like he was proud of her. He was finally in his element, talking the same language as his daughter.

"Thank you, papa." Haru's arms wrapped around Dalian's strong neck, the man giving her a bear hug in return.

"You are very welcome, my little spitfire." As she stood from the couch and walked towards her room upstairs, typing away on her phone for the specifics of the potential trip, Dalian let out a small, content sigh. "And welcome to the battlefield, Chiharu."

* * *

 **Oh gosh, I can't wait to write more romance between Kuroo and Haru, they're so urghhhh I'm sorry that I'm taking my sweet time with it!**

* * *

 **Side note: I don't know why, but when I heard Tempt my trouble by Bishop Briggs, I just thought of Haru and Tetsuro… Do you guys agree?**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **Emocean:  
Thanks so much for the review! Glad you enjoyed :D**

 **deadlywhisper21:  
Thanks so much for the review :D  
There will be more about the rumors and Megumi soon, but for now, we just have some more developments on the other fronts :P**

 **moonlightshadowxiii:  
No worries, take your time in reviewing :D When it gets there it gets there, I'll always wait for it patiently :D  
It's alright :D The other day I actually read a story I hadn't visited in a while and found out that it had like three new chapters that just blew my mind :P I'm glad I could do something similar for you :D  
Haru's manager is gonna be a topic for sure he he he he he Kuroo I'm sorry in advance xD**

 **Oh gosh, I'm so glad that you find Haru represents your view! I've always been into sports when I was younger, but I never quite found that joy and dedication that the characters in sports anime have… So, I wanted to make an OC that's a bit closer to reality, if that's possible. Hence, Haru. She's got a bit of a sports background, I'm afraid, but she had other goals in life. And, don't worry, she won't change into a volleyball-idiot like those guys. Though, there will be some character development on that front. If you want to experience what I'm talking about in this chapter with Haru, her fascination with the moves these people have, check out some videos on Youtube of best saves in volleyball. It's that kind of a thing :P  
Character development and representation is my little baby, I'm happy hearing it as many times as possible, don't worry if you've said it already! It makes me giddy every time I read something concerning that xD  
Kuroo's scheme will yet develop, promise :P I just needed to write about the two of them for a while I'm sorry it's my own selfish thing xD  
Yamamoto knows all the guys. Canon. I'm not letting that go. Ever xD He can't talk to girls though, but he knows all the boys.**

 **Ramble as much as you wish anytime you wish! I'm always eager to read your thoughts :D Changing majors has been challenging, but it's also nice. School is hard right now, but I like it, so I'm trying my best to do well :) Exam season is soon, so we will see how depressed I get over it xD  
And thanks so much, you are the bestest too! (seriously the support I get on this website keeps me going most days xD)**

 **Curlystruggle:  
Hahaha your review made me laugh so much xD Kuroo's always getting cozy though :P**

 **Bookdragonslayer:  
To be honest, I hadn't thought about it like that… But now that you mention it…. Maybe it was a subconscious choice? xD  
Thanks so much for the support! Hope you enjoyed the new chapter :D **

**Potato-Faye:  
Hello! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment :D I'm glad that you're enjoying the omakes, I'll keep them coming :) **

**Kimikokimono:  
I'm so slow with updates, I'm sorry :(  
I'm a horrible fandom-jumper and I can't stick to one xD I'm pushing the development, I swear! I need to write something flirtier between those two… xD**

 **The Spade Queen:  
Hiii! So happy to see you in reviews again :D  
Kuroo has a keen mind, and Kenma has gained some skills from being friends with him for so long xD I had a bit of a writers' block while I was thinking about how I should go about the rumor thing and this seemed like the best way to deal with it in the end xD  
I know that a lot of people are ashamed of their culture when they are exposed to an environment which is homogenic, I wanted to make Chiharu a bit of an inspiration and encouragement :D  
Glad you caught that part! **

**AmericanNidiot:  
Hello and welcome back :D So nice to hear from you again :)  
The cats are nuts. I love em xD  
Mambo No. 5 is the besssst xD I love listening to it in the morning :D**

 **Valen Goncalvez:  
I'm sorry I'm so slow with updates! Hope you enjoyed this one, too :)**

 **Yami Kozue-chii:  
Thanks for understanding! I always feel like I'm gonna get trampled my readers when I see how long I haven't updated for xD It's my fault for being all over the place with fandoms and getting caught up in various other things along the way xD  
Haru is in! Finally, I can write RoManCe for real omg they were so slow in getting there xD  
Hope you enjoyed the chapter :D**

* * *

 **Omake:**

Kuroo's cellphone rang and he absent-mindedly reached for it, not looking at the caller ID.

"Hello." He picked up.

"Kuroo-sempai, can we go to the beach?" The familiar voice instantly made his brain short-circuit. He looked down at his homework, a line going from the last letter he'd written across the page to the ballpoint of his pen. Darn it, he would have to redo it. Wait, the beach?

"Errr- what?" His brain couldn't seem to catch up with his mouth, or make any sense of the statement. Sure enough, Haru was asking him out. Wasn't she? "Didn't you already say you weren't interested in me?" Kuroo managed to ask, his heart settling in an uncomfortable rhythm it typically only had during the set points of a match.

"I don't know if the school will give us the funds for all the train tickets, but I would be able to pitch in a bit, also." She hadn't caught his question apparently. Why would the school give them money for the tickets to the beach? "And if the team would also give some money, I think we can just make it. It's not that expensive and I have a financing plan."

"Wait, wait, wait." Kuroo sat up in his chair, refocusing his brain forcefully. The image of Haru in a tiny bikini wouldn't leave his mind. It would have to be white. She was a white bikini kind of girl. Or maybe yellow? He vanquished the thought through sheer willpower. "Start from the beginning, I can't make any sense of what you're saying." There was a deep breath on the other side of the line.

"Sorry, I got too excited." She sounded timid, making him smile. "So, I was reading up on the typical schedule of the volleyball team, and I saw that there is a training camp coming up soon."

"Ah, the Golden Week?" Kuroo was finally on track, his heart slowing down a bit. Yet, there was a telltale sense of disappointment in his stomach. She hadn't been asking for a date with him, but with the whole team. "We usually go to the countryside and practice."

"Can we switch locations?" Haru's voice rose, excitement making her giddy.

"Oya?" Kuroo smirked. He liked this Haru. This, dedicated manager Haru. "What did you have in mind?"

"Okinawa."

 **And with this, I'm done!**


	7. The truth

**Am I allowed to update this quickly? xD I kinda couldn't stop typing this chapter… Enjoy it as much as I did!**

* * *

 **Chapter 7:** **The truth**

Spring rain. Haru wanted to kill someone as she walked into the girls' changing room. How did she forget about the spring rain? Her mind was ready to explode at that point. Drenched to the bone, the girl started fumbling through her things, hoping to find at least something to dry off with. No luck. With a sigh, Haru dropped her bag into the locker and left the changing room. She would have to simply wait for her clothes to dry.

The morning had started perfectly for her. Her sister had been gone, over at her boyfriend's probably, and Dalian had still been at home. The father and daughter had made breakfast together while the sun still wasn't up, singing and dancing salsa as they picked the spiciest ingredients for the meal. After that, her father had driven her to the train station and she'd given him one of the tightest hugs she could manage, because he would be already gone that evening, as always. Yet, Haru's peaceful Monday morning was completely ruined by an unexpected downpour of spring rain as she was walking from the train to school. And, as her luck would have it, she'd listened to Morisuke and Kuroo who'd told her that she didn't always need to have her PE uniform for practice.

The girl gathered water bottles and started her work, hiding under the roof's edge where she could. The water bottles were soon full and she carried them into the gym. The doors were open, just like the locker for the supplies had been unlocked. Haru peeked in, surprised to see Kuroo already there. He was alone, though, pulling up the net.

"Do you need a hand?" Haru delighted in the way he gave a small jump, head whipping around.

"Geez, you're early." He breathed out, one hand on his heart. "Way to give a man a heart attack." Haru giggled, toeing her shoes off at the entrance and going to the bench with water bottles.

"So are you." She wandered to the boy who was doing complicated knots on the volleyball net in order to secure it to the poles. "Can you teach me how to do that?"

"A-ah the net? It's easy," Haru didn't notice Kuroo's red face or the way his fingers began to fumble with the knot that he typically could do in his sleep. "Come here." The boy let her stand in front of him, in between his arms, as he undid the knots he'd just tied and then slowly retied them, letting her watch his fingers. "Wanna try?"

"Mhm," Haru was painfully aware of Kuroo's tall body right behind her. He radiated warmth, despite wearing just his volleyball training shorts and t-shirt. For her skin, icy from the damp uniform, it was like a break during a busy day.

"You're supposed to loops that over." His voice was low, Haru realized. She had never paid much attention to his voice. There hadn't been a reason to. He had merely been an annoying sempai. But now, he was... he was... what?

"Oh, I messed up... I think." Kuroo chuckled, the sound making puffs of air hit the shell of her cold ear. A shiver ran down her back, having nothing to do with the cold.

"Not that badly, pull this line here," his fingers came against hers, like fire touching ice. "Tug there, and done."

"You're right." Haru looked at the knot, her hands going down to the one below it. "Let me try again." As she was working, Kuroo's hands fell to his sides, but the heat of his body came even closer to her back. Finally, as Haru tied the knot, doing her very best to ignore the redness of her face, the source of warmth touched her, like a wall of a furnace gently pushing against her. And then, with a yelp, it was gone, just as she exclaimed. "Done!"

"Geez, woman, did you take an ice bath while filling bottles?" Kuroo was standing at arm's length from her when she turned, his hands rubbing at the front of his shirt furiously.

"No?"

"You're drenched!"

"I'm not!"

"You are! I touched it, you're as wet as can be!"

"It's nothing!"

"Kuroo!" A third voice joined in their rapid shouting match, making them both look to the gym door. Yaku was standing there un his training clothes, face as red as a tomato. "What are you saying to Haru! Stop harassing her with indecent comments!"

"W-wha-" Kuroo's face suddenly got very red, as well. "No, I meant her clothes! Her clothes!" At that point, Haru was also caught up with the misinterpretation of their shouting match and she moved away from Kuroo, waving her hands in front of herself in an attempt to calm Yaku down.

"I just got caught in the rain without an umbrella, Morisuke. Kuroo-sempai was being nosy." Yaku frowned at her, his hands catching hers as soon as she was close enough and then sliding up her sleeves and to her shoulders. He groped around her uniform, going to her sides, even as she tried to dance away from him and out of his grasp.

"You're drenched." Yaku finally let her go, making Haru pout.

"As I was saying," Kuroo had joined them after securing the last few knots of the net. "She needs to change." Yaku nodded decisively and she knew she was going to lose.

"Do you have gym clothes at school?" The libero asked.

"No..." Haru couldn't think of a way out of the mess. "You guys told me I didn't need them for practice, so I left them at home." Kuroo sighed, his hand going to his hair to push his bangs back from his eyes.

"Of all the times to listen..." he laughed. Haru giggled, looking up at him.

"I thought so, too."

"Then, you'll have to borrow." Yaku interjected, coming up between them and catching Haru by the elbow. "You can take my jersey. I think the match one is still in the locker."

"Ewww no." Haru tried to wriggle her arm out from his grip, but Yaku was like a steel vice.

"It's washed, don't worry." He laughed, pulling her towards the door.

"I'll enjoy that sight!" Kuroo called out, finally breaking into a guffaw, not able to hold it in anymore. Yaku didn't pay him any mind, still dragging Haru to the boys' locker room. Kuroo had actually counted seconds before Yaku came back in, face red and a terrifying scowl knotting his eyebrows. Lev and Inuoka, who had arrived in the meantime, jumped away from the third-year.

"Kuroo, it's too small. Do you have yours washed and in the locker?" Yaku put up a finger, silencing the captain. "Don't say that you told me so."

"Let's see what we can find." Kuroo conceded, tossing the ball from his hands to Kai who had just entered the gym and following their libero.

* * *

Kuroo admitted that day that he was attracted to Sakurano Chiharu. He had had a number of rather inappropriate dreams in his teenage years about multiple woman, but he'd never had such a reaction while awake and fully in control of himself. Yet, when she'd walked out of that changing room, wearing his match clothes, he'd felt his breath hitch and all the heat in his body pool suspiciously low.

She wasn't pale, like all the other girls were at school. Her skin was tan, which he suspected she'd inherited from her Cuban father. Yet, that smooth, dark skin made the red color of his jersey look all the more attractive. His shorts went almost down to her knees, making it an odd skirt-like view. And, his shirt stretched across her chest, showing where she was perfectly blessed as a girl. On his lanky form, it was comfortably loose. On her figure, it was tight, yet long enough to cover most of his shorts.

"I look ridiculous." Haru said, making his eyes trail up her form and onto her flushed face. He could see the blush for once, despite the natural tan. Her damp hair made it seem like she'd just taken a shower before putting on his uniform. Kuroo knew that Sakurano Chiharu would be his undoing then and there.

"In a way, yes." He agreed, voice tight. Her head snapped up, eyes wide.

"That's it, I'll wear my uniform." She spun around, going back towards the girls' changing room. "It'll dry eventually." Kuroo reached out, catching her hand and pulling her to him. Already, her body was warmer than before.

"Nonsense, you'll get sick." He forced himself to pull away from her soft form and tug her towards the gym. "Just wear that until your clothes are dry."

"People will talk." She sounded mortified from behind him.

"Let them." And the discussion was over.

* * *

"You're staring." Kenma's voice broke Kuroo's intense gaze on their new manager, who was talking to Nekomata.

"Am I?" The third-year refocused, spiking when the ball went up. It landed perfectly on the other side of the court. A glance at Kenma told him that he wasn't fooling his friend. He had to stop being so obvious.

"Haru is a nice girl." The setter said with a note of finality to his tone.

"I know."

"Don't be an idiot." Kenma scolded again.

"I won't."

"Do you really like her?" That made Kuroo stop for a second. He liked the girl, in a way. He didn't know her well enough to say any more that that. But, yes, he liked what he saw, at least.

"I guess."

"Don't stare until you're certain." Kenma's next toss was hard to spike. Kuroo gave his friend a half-hearted glare. "Haru is a nice girl. And she's my friend." The look in the setter's eyes told the captain that he'd just been on the receiving end of _the talk_. How the times had changed. Kenma had just warned him off a girl.

"I know." The rest of the practice the two boys didn't talk. Yet, they worked in perfect sync.

* * *

Ikki whistled, making Haru look up at him. She groaned instantly knowing that merciless teasing was coming.

"Looking good, Sakurano." Her longtime friend commented, plopping down in the seat next to her. "Like a porn star."

"Oh my God, Ikki!" Haru flushed, slamming the notebook she'd been revising from down on the table. She turned to the boy, noticing his appreciative gaze.

"I call it like I see it," the basketball player shrugged. "That's Kuroo-sempai's number, isn't it?" Haru couldn't stop the blush from her face. If anything, it seemed to be there to stay. The jersey was surprisingly comfortable, if a bit big on her due to the length.

"Yes." She mumbled.

"Head up, girlfriend." Ikki gave her a wink and walked off to his seat as Akari came in. The girl immediately gave Haru a look of disbelief and rushed over. And, the newly made volleyball manager could tell that that conversation wasn't going to be one that she would enjoy.

* * *

It took a week for Haru to notice the change. The rumors which she'd become so accustomed to hearing in the corridors about her were slowly going away. In fact, there were more stories about the fresh hookup that a girl in second year had had with a first-year boy. It wasn't too common for a female sempai to go out with a male kouhai. Haru paid them no mind, but she still had a bone to pick with a certain someone. So, after school, she easily picked out the dyed blonde fluffy hair, telling herself that she would only be a bit late for volleyball practice. She caught up with her target, waiting until the girl was alone to fully fall into step with her.

"Hello, Megumi." The girl startled at Haru's voice, turning around with wide eyes. The two stopped, squaring off. Megumi was everything a Japanese boy could want. Carefully dyed pale hair in lazy beach waves, bunched up with a scrunchy to one side. Her eyes were big and her mouth was small. Her skin was as pale as they come. She wore her uniform skirt short and she always had makeup on her face.

"What do you want, Sakurano?" Haru, on the other hand, was tall, tan and her body had filled out in all the right places. Alright, maybe a bit more than she liked in the backside area. Her hair was untableable and her mouth seemed too big for her face.

"Just a friendly warning, Megumi," Haru smiled. "The next time you think it would be funny to spread a rumor about me, I won't be so polite as to wait for it to pass." She thought that she was being awfully composed, not showing the girl just how much the whole ordeal had affected her. "I'll come after you with all I've got." At that, Megumi's eyes widened. "Yes, I still remember all the secrets you told me when we were 'friends'."

"You're a hypocrite, Chiharu." Megumi looked down at their feet, hands in tight fists at her sides. At that, Haru's mind went blank.

"What?"

"You're a damn hypocrite!" Megumi yelled, one hand coming up to slap Haru across the face. She was ready to retaliate, when she saw the expression on the other girl's face. Megumi was crying, face red and nose running. Her usually perfect skin was blotchy. "You pride yourself on not being interested in boys, and yet you have them all."

"Errr what?" Haru's hand dropped to her side, forgoing the slap she'd intended to slam into the other girl's cheek.

"Don't act dumb with me!" Megumi was screeching and Haru wondered how she'd ever thought that the girl was somehow superior to her. "You took Itsuki and now you decided to take Kuroo-sempai, as well. You take everyone and anyone you want, and don't care what you do to others!" Finally, it clicked.

"You… like Kuroo?" Haru asked, her anger cooling. The way Megumi simply stayed silent, crying, told her everything. "If you do, why don't you ask him out? I don't think he's attached."

"Y-you! You-" Haru didn't let the enraged mess of a girl continue.

"Don't assume things that aren't true. I just wanted to join a club, they happened to recruit me." The volleyball manager shrugged. "If you want Kuroo, go after him head-on. I don't think he's the kind of guy that likes underhanded methods." With that, Haru turned, leaving the sniveling girl in her wake. "Remember what I said, _Megu-tan_."

Curses spilled rather loudly in her wake, but Haru didn't care one bit about them.

* * *

The Golden Week training camp seemed to approach with unnatural speed. It felt to Haru that she had just become the official manager of the Boys' Volleyball Team when she turned around and boom, there was the training camp. The whole club activity thing hadn't been as daunting as she'd first thought it would be. In fact, she'd settled into a comfortable routine.

Her sleep had been cut a bit short, leading her to spend her lunch hour dozing off in her seat. Of course, this was when none of the boys decided to pay her an impromptu visit. By the time the camp rolled around, Akari already knew each of the team members by their name and year, addressing them rather casually. Kuroo and Yaku were the two who visited classroom 2-2 the most. Much to Akari's disappointment, most of their conversations revolved around volleyball, practice or camp plans. Coach Nekoma had been all to eager to pass on the team cellphone to Haru, along with the book the boys used to schedule their obligations and meets. She hadn't had much trouble keeping the records, but she'd found it a tad inconvenient.

Luckily, her work hadn't suffered from the new activity. Neither had her grades. When she wasn't staying late to help the boys practice or clean up, she was catching up on schoolwork. Satoshi had noticed her change in mood, teasing her endlessly about it. Yet, he'd taken some of her workload, letting the girl get settled into her new duties more easily. Haru could take the teasing because of his generosity, in the end.

It was the Golden Week which had put her a tad on edge. Her financial plan, with a few tweaks from Nekomata-sensei, had managed to win them a grant for tickets. The money was just enough to cover the train fare and some of the food supplies. The girl had told the boys that they would be going to Okinawa, making them rejoice, and then explained how they needed some extra money for the trip. Surprisingly, all of them had pitched in, even the coaches. Despite the fact that she'd donated quite a bit of her saved up money, for that new camera lens she'd been eyeing, Haru didn't mind the loss one bit. It was the camp itself which had made her anxious. After all, coach Nekomata had told her that she would be in charge of the training, due to it all being her idea. And, her father hadn't been around to give her tips anymore. She'd managed to steal Kuroo away on more than one occasion during lunch and pester him about her ideas, which he'd worked on with surprising diligence.

"You're going to break their spirits, Haru-chan." The third-year she'd grown increasingly fond of had told her after one such meeting, chuckling.

"How so?" She'd asked, face tilted and eyebrows furrowed.

"They're expecting some nice, relaxing time at the beach." Kuroo had replied, pressing a long finger in the middle of her eyebrows, making the muscles loosen. "You're gonna smash those fantasies with a sledgehammer." She hadn't been able to stop laughing for the rest of the day, imagining the team's reactions.

Kuroo Tetsurō was another mystery. At first, Haru had thought that he was simply an annoying, airheaded upperclassman. But, he's proven himself so much more. She's found out that he was actually quite a nice person. He made sure that she was always comfortable, warding Yamamoto and the first years off when they got too pushy. While his semi-flirty jokes put her on edge, often leading her to ask Kenma about Kuroo's intentions, she'd learned to deal with them. Though, the boy had finally won her over with his wide interest in music. They'd shared earbuds on a number of trips to school, switching between who was playing the tunes. She'd discovered his mild obsession with Korean pop, which he had sworn her to secrecy about. In turn, she'd divulged that she enjoyed an occasional rap song, not so censored either, which had made him guffaw his funny laugh on a full train. All in all, Haru liked Kuroo. And, moreover, she liked working with him on making the team better. He was incredibly intelligent, which had definitely thrown her off. She'd always found intelligent people magnetic somehow.

Haru yawned for the tenth time, attempting to keep her eyes open as she sat at the kitchen counter, eating her meagre breakfast. There was a salsa song playing on the speakers, directly from her phone, as she looked over the notes on their trip one final time before the meet-up. It was roughly around three-thirty in the morning and the girl could barely keep a sane thought in her head. The sun hadn't come up, her house was empty, as usual, and her bed seemed so warm and inviting from what she could recall of it. Yet, she knew that she needed to get up and leave soon, or risk being late. That was when the doorbell rang.

"At this hour?" Haru mumbled to herself, groggily walking over to the main entrance into her house. She opened the door and found an odd sight on her porch. Kuroo stood there, in his sweats, propping up a definitely asleep Kenma. The third-year's bedhead, as she'd discovered it was, looked like it had seen better days. "Why are you-" she spared a look at Kenma's snoozing face, "two here?"

"Picking you up." Kuroo said, following her into the house when she waved them in. His voice was deeper, probably because he's just woken up and hadn't spoken much, making Haru blush. Kuroo on her porch at the odd hour of the morning was somehow intimate, in a weird sense.

"Thanks," the girl replied, deciding to go with Kuroo's weird flow without complaining. The upperclassman had found out her address one day after practice on the weekends, when she'd asked him to come over and help with final arrangements for the camp. Clearly that had been a mistake of information sharing. Then again, knowing the boy, she'd been painfully aware that she would regret giving him that personal detail sooner or later. Sooner, it seemed. "Do you want some breakfast?"

"Oya, home cooking?" Kuroo deposited Kenma on the couch as if he owned the place, following Haru into the kitchen. The setter was left to snore softly in the living room.

"Just some eggs and bacon." Haru hopped back into her seat, letting the boy make himself at home. He'd already done so on his first visit, he could do it again.

"Nothing spicy, I hope?" Kuroo was behind the counter, inspecting the laid-out cooking.

"Just some chili in the eggs." She delighted in the way he wrinkled his nose and then picked up a piece of bacon, the safe thing, foregoing a plate.

"Is there some of that elderberry juice you had last time?" He was already searching the fridge.

"The glasses are in the cupboard, to the right." Haru's eyes rose from the food in front of her, watching the boy in her kitchen. Normally, it was either her or her father there. Chihiro didn't cook. And, her brother had always been more interested in dissecting than roasting. She supposed that that was why he was in medical school. Her mother sometimes cooked, yet Haru had never seen her behind that counter, actually. But, Kuroo. He seemed somehow right, standing there next to the stove. His lanky arms moved, searching for the glass and then pouring the juice he had come to like. He looked somehow domestic. Like he was used to being in the kitchen at his own home, as well. Haru realized how little she actually knew about the third-year that had come into her life abruptly.

"Pass me that water bottle?" One of the lanky arms extended backwards to her and she soundlessly placed the water bottle into the open fingers. Kuroo poured juice into it.

"Taking some for the road?"

"I promised Kenma that I would give him some. He wanted to try it." Kuroo turned to her after he'd put away the juice, leaning on the counter and watching her eat slowly. "We don't usually have similar taste in food, but I think he will like this juice."

"Oh?" Noticing Kuroo's asking face, Haru elaborated. "You two have been friends for long?"

"Since diapers." The captain laughed, nodding. "We were always very different, though. Kenma was always withdrawn, so I became the talkative one. I got him into volleyball, you know?" When Haru hummed, urging him to continue, which he did. "He was hopeless at fist. And, he was never very athletic. But, I think he likes it now. He's a good setter, at least."

"That he is." The girl agreed. She finished her breakfast and picked up her notebook, waving Kuroo over. "Let's go, we'll be late."

"Sure," Haru grabbed her cellphone from the speaker stand, turning the music off, and found Kuroo in her hallway, with Kenma on his back, piggyback style.

"Is he going to be okay?" She asked with a giggle as the trio left the house.

"He was probably up gaming till the odd hours of the morning. He doesn't do well with getting to school, either. I always pick him up." Kuroo walked next to her, at a strangely comfortable distance for once. She had found out that he liked to be touching her almost all the time when they were going somewhere together.

"I wish I had the luxury." The girl laughed.

"Well, you could." Kuroo winked at her and Haru couldn't stop laughing all the way to the train station.

* * *

 **If there are any spelling mistakes, it's my fault. It's almost 3am and I don't know what I'm reading anymore xD I wanted to get the chapter out as soon as possible for you lot, though…**

* * *

 **Anyone liked the domestic scene as much as I did? xD**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **Moonlightshadowxiii:  
Your reviews give me life, I swear xD They're so long, I love it!  
I hope that I've finally lived up to the 'update, quick!' expectations with this one xD I've been typing in between college classes on my cell xD  
Kuroo and his mommmmm omg xD I don't have enough words to talk about that… I just adore writing them, and I can't help but imagine him as a momma's boy and Haru as a daddy's girl xD  
I'm sending you cash for that dentist's appointment xD I believe I have some cavities from the sheer fluff of that cotton candy, too xD  
Oh yeah, alarm upon alarm. That's how we roll here, too xD  
Oh, no worries about the explanation, I just felt like I should elaborate on it further. I'm kinda going for she likes volleyball, but she's never going to be the athletic nut the boys are xD She simply isn't into a ball smacking her in the face… Haru is more of a demon manager on the sidelines xD I'll have to check out that video! Actually, I blame my mother for all the sports videos I watch, because she likes looking up highlights for some reason…  
About Kuroo and Haru, I ship them too much, also… Like I was rewatching some clips from Haikyuu and realized I was looking for my own OC in the anime -.- I'm a dingus xD I actually also wanted to go a bit steamier with this story… For some reason Kuroo always makes me wanna write some M rated shit, it's bad. I'm still debating whether I should change the rating in the longrun or do another series of oneshots, like 12 ways… Any thoughts?  
Omakes make my life, to be honest. I usually write them after I've read the whole chapter again and checked for errors. They are just small additions of whatever pops into my head at the time xD But, I feel like they're the most solid part of the story xD I blame my Bleach readers for getting me into writing omakes like a doofus xD  
Haru and Tetsu have a long way to go regarding bikinis and shirtlessness xD It's gonna be a fun ride! As for her choice of swimwear… We will have to wait and see :P  
No, no, thank **_**you**_ **for giving me such amazing reviews all the time and making** _ **my**_ **day! All reviews make me write like a maniac xD  
All my best!**

 **Potato-Faye:  
Hey and thanks for the review!  
Oh, Kuroo, Haru and the beach… Especially with his newfound realizations… This is gonna be so. Damn. Fun.  
I hope you enjoyed!**

 **Valen Goncalvez:  
Gasp! And one more in a span of a two days! Feel free to be shocked xD  
I hope this update was quick enough for you? :P  
Hope you enjoyed the domestic scene, I seriously died for it xD**

 **Madama Crimson:  
My absolute pleasure! I somehow always think that this fandom is dead, and then I get surprised by how much support I get when I update xD  
I will try and type some more soon :)  
I'm definitely enjoying writing her and the Nekoma team interacting, I promise that there will be more than just these three soon, I just feel that writing Kuroo, Kenma and Yaku comes all too naturally to me…. Personal preference perhaps?  
Thanks for the review!**

* * *

 **Omake:**

Yamamoto sneezed. He shivered a bit, pulling his jersey tightly around him. The boy glanced around, seeing nobody from the team around. Perhaps he had missed the time or date? That had happened a few times. He glanced at his phone, checking the messages. Sure enough, there was a group text Haru had sent them, telling them the date and time of their departure for Okinawa. He was on time, at the right place.

"Stop it." Yamamoto's head snapped up, hearing the new manager's voice. He managed to see her swat their captain's wandering hand away from her hair.

"But you should let it down." The boy retorted. He had Kenma on his back, which didn't surprise the Nekoma ace. The whole team was well aware of the weakness of their setter.

"No, it goes crazy if I do that."

"You just aren't using the right products."

"I'm not, am I?"

"No, you're not."

"Get married already." Yamamoto mumbled, sighing.

"What?" The two said in sync, heads snapping up to look at him with different expressions. Haru had a blush on her face, eyes wide. Kuroo had a teasing smirk, his signature, looking rather smug at the reaction he had elicited from them both. This was going to be a long Golden Week, Yamamoto decided. At least there was a girl to make it a bit better, even though she was obviously taken.

* * *

 **The phrase appears!  
Hope you all enjoyed :D**


	8. Golden Week training starts!

**Okay, so Kuroo hijacked this chapter. I'm sorry. So much more was meant to happen in it, but then Kuroo hijacked it. I couldn't stop writing about his thoughts, I'm sorry xD**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 8: Golden Week training starts!**

"Everyone, get on please." Haru was shaking Yaku awake and making certain that Yamamoto actually got on the train and didn't fall in between the tracks. Kuroo hung back, still holding onto a sleepy Kenma. The setter had managed to open his eyes, eat something, and was then left wobbling about like some kind of an apparition. The captain couldn't help watching their new manager from the back, seeing her distributing tickets as the boys got on the train and making sure they all had their bags with them properly.

"All aboard?" Kuroo asked, coming up behind Haru. The girl turned to him and he immediately noticed the dark circles around her eyes. He knew that she'd been working on their trip arrangements relentlessly and made a mental note to make certain that she gets some rest.

"Looks like," The final two people on the team boarded the train. Kuroo helped Haru place her bag in the overhead storage. She offered the boy a tired smile before plopping down unceremoniously in a semi-conscious heap. Kuroo couldn't help but smile at the state of the girl. She looked cute, sleepy like that, but still worrying about the team first. He went to take the spot next to her, when a small body filled it. Kenma's barely awake eyes looked up at him, almost in challenge.

"Get some rest, both of you." Kuroo took the defeat without a fight, instead wondering towards the front of their group, getting the free seat next to Kai. The boy was already fast asleep, drooling a bit onto the hand which was propping his head up. With a sigh, the Nekoma captain took out his earbuds, putting on a slow song, in hopes of falling asleep, as well. But, luck wasn't on his side that day.

He ended up watching the scenery pass by in a blur, listening to the lyrics of his favorite pop bands absent-mindedly. His head was a haze of thoughts which kept rolling past him, just like the trees and fields outside. Kuroo yawned, mourning the loss of his usual eight hours of sleep. His eyes ended up looking around the train compartment, going from one teammate to another. The first years were all huddled together, sleeping in amazing positions. Lev had Inuoka half on him, which made the captain burst out laughing at their entangled limbs. On the other hand, the few second years were mostly in their own seats, except Kenma's dyed head. The setter had cozied up to their manager, sleeping on her shoulder comfortably, which didn't seem to faze the girl. Kuroo felt a pang of jealousy, immediately forcing himself to banish the feeling. Kenma and Haru were friends, as well as his friends. There was nothing to be jealous of.

Except, he wondered if the girl would let him do the same. She had gotten more used to his antics, letting him touch her casually, like he did Kenma. But, whenever he couldn't keep his hands to himself with her, it was vastly different from how he was used to helping his childhood friend. Every contact of his skin on Haru's was electric. It sent his mind into overdrive, banishing every thought except the warmth of her body, the smell of her shampoo and soft perfume and the feel of her soft skin on his. Kuroo knew that he was attracted to her, but was there more…. He didn't know. And, he wanted to have that answer as soon as possible. If the answer was no, he had to get over his obsession with touching the girl. If the answer was yes… that would be another matter entirely. But, for that moment, at that time, he liked the way his busy head went blank when he was next to her, the girl occupying every section of his brain like a fever.

The song switched, going to a new one he'd recently added to his phone. It was a slow rhythm of congo drums, soon joined by the tres and then a female vocal. Already, Haru had invaded more than just his head. Her music, a contagious beat that reminded him of something sensationally exotic, had taken over his usual pop playlist. Kuroo hated in a bit, but it was a bittersweet kind of hate. In the end, he loved the emotions and memories which accompanied the unfamiliar tunes. It was of him and the girl on the train, sharing earbuds, listening to different music, with her body never able to keep still when a good song came on. Even if it was just shaking her head to the beat, the girl had to _move_.

Kuroo coveted the fact that the girl could not only understand the language spoken in the songs, but actually spoke it fluently, as well. She'd shared with him how she had spent some time in both Mexico and Brazil with her father when she had been young. He loved the expression on her face as she'd shared with him her experience as a child, dancing in an open-air café in the evening to salsa music. It was that face that he saw whenever he heard the beat of the songs he'd recently added to his playlist. And, before long, to the soft beat of the salsa, Kuroo dozed off.

The next time he woke up, most of the team was already up, as well. They were chattering excitedly, sharing food and discussing what they would do when they got to the beach. Oh, how bad he felt for them. If they knew what their manager had in store for them, they would've been more depressed. He doubted that any of them would have the energy to play on the beach after her rough training schedule. Speaking of the girl, Kuroo's eyes wandered to the seat turned the other way around, where Haru's and Kenma's heads were separated.

"Are you going to go bother her?" Yaku was awfully perceptive from across his seat. Kuroo's eyes went to him, instead. His usually carefully styled hair was a disheveled mess, making him look even younger.

"Maybe." The captain shrugged.

"Don't chase her off," Kai's deep voice came from his right. "We just got a decent manager." Kuroo glanced at the other third year, noticing that he was reading some of his school notes, seemingly not paying attention to the rest of the team. Yet, the vice-captain was always vigilant. That was why he had gotten the position that year unanimously.

"What do you guys think of her?" he asked, looking to Yaku again. Fukunaga, who sat with them, was still asleep, snoring rhythmically from next to the libero. He was awfully loud for such a typically quiet character.

"She may not be the ideal manager, but she's dedicated." Kai shrugged.

"What do you mean?" Yaku asked, leaning forward and lowering his voice. "She's got medical knowledge and does alright with instructions." Kai finally closed his notebook, looking up.

"She doesn't know anything about the sport." The vice-captain said. "Don't get me wrong, the girl is good. But, it would've been better to have someone who is passionate about the sport, not just about the team."

"If you find me someone like that, who wants to take up the manager position, do let me know." Kuroo scoffed. Kai frowned.

"I'm not saying that she's no good. I'm saying that there are better options, idealistically." The notebook was open yet again, the boy's eyes focusing on the text. Kuroo thought about his words for a few moments before speaking up.

"I get what you mean," Kai spared him a short glance. "But, the passion for the team is crucial. She can learn the semantics as she goes."

"Which is why I'm with Yaku on you bugging her constantly." Kai commented, making the libero burst into laughter. Kuroo stood, stretching, his face in a pout.

"I'm not feeling much love here." The scheming captain smirked, walking away towards his two favorite second years. He ignored Yaku's frown and evaded the libero's hands, attempting to stop him from being his usual mischievous self. "Good morning, cheerful youths!" Kuroo plopped down in the free seat on the opposite of Haru.

"Hi," the girl greeted with a soft smile, dark circles still under her eyes. In vivid contrast to her cheery demeanor was Kenma's scowl, sporting one of the boy's utterly amazing expressions. "Did you manage get some rest?"

"Mhm." Kuroo nodded. "Salsa is a surprisingly good tune to fall asleep to." He chuckled, making the girl giggle, as well.

"Right?" Haru said, eyes sparkling. "Do you have anything interesting for me today? Are you going to try to convert me again?" Kuroo fished his cellphone and earbuds from where he'd safely tucked them into his pocket earlier.

"Eventually, I'll sway you to my wicked ways." He smugly commented.

"Doubtful, as Akari has been doing her best for a while and it hasn't worked." Haru accepted the extended earbud, standing from her seat and settling in the free one next to the captain before putting the gadget in her ear. Kenma seemed to have gone back to snoozing. "Do your worst."

"My pleasure." As Kuroo played a song from his current infatuation, a popular Korean group called Twice. He watched as Haru slipped her flats off, her legs going under her body as she moved into a more comfortable position. Kuroo found it somehow endearing. But, as the girl seemed to nod off to his music, he got sly and switched to something that was certain to get her attention. CL was not his favorite band by any means, but the song he had in mind was certain to keep Haru awake.

Indeed, she began laughing as soon as she managed to hear the first punchline of the song, catching onto his plan. She playfully smacked his shoulder, giggling as her head replaced her palm, messy hair from her bun spilling onto the front of Kuroo's sweatshirt. He took a deep, calming breath, telling the zoo in his stomach to stop stampeding. It was just a girl using his shoulder to get into a comfortable position for sleep, he reasoned. It was convenience.

Kuroo, however, didn't account for the fact that the smell of coconuts and coffee, mixed with something citrusy he couldn't pinpoint, would invade his senses with that deep, calming breath. It proved to be anything _but_ calming.

* * *

It was around eleven in the morning when Haru finally called for everyone to get ready to leave the train. The station was surprisingly empty, a few people waiting here and there to either get on or for someone to exit the train. There was one figure which stood out, though. It was a man with numerous piercings on his face, his bare arms decorated with multiple tattoos. He grinned as soon as he saw them, waving and walking over.

"You must be Chiharu-chan!" His voice was loud and his smile was blinding. The boys watched as their new manager bowed politely, but the man forwent all the customs, instead giving her a tight hug. "I feel like I already know you. Your father was always passing around baby pictures while we were still working together every summer. Gosh, you've grown!"

"Ah, thanks." Haru was blushing, much to everyone's amusement. She was also trying to wriggle out of the hugging distance without being rude, leading her to stand next to Kuroo, who had been just behind her. "Kurosaki-san, this is the team. The captain, Kuroo-sempai," the tattooed man nodded to the tall boy, who gave a curt nod back. "And Kai-san is the vice-captain." Kai and Kurosaki exchanged small nods. "Our coach should be here later, he had some things to finish at the school before coming."

"Ah, I'll set up a pickup, just tell me when to get him." Kurosaki nodded. "As for you all, I've got the transport to the lodge ready. And, please, just Ryota. Kurosaki is my father." The team followed him out of the station and into the sunny street. "Can you tell me a bit more about what you guys will need concerning facilities and hours? I've got a few more guests who are volleyball and basketball players, and those sports use the same gym at the lodge." Kuroo and Haru glanced at each other, mutely deciding who would talk to the man, before chuckling and agreeing to talk to him together.

"Of course." The girl said.

The van Kurosaki drove to pick them up was parked close. The boys piled in, putting their bags under their seats or on the free ones. Haru and Kuroo were the last ones to enter, sitting in the very front together, where the coaches were usually. They filled in Kurosaski, who was driving, on the details of their training schedule during the trip. Inuoka, who was the closest and could catch bits of their conversation, seemed horrified at the devilish plans of torture.

The Sunny Beach lodge was settled at the very edge of the beach, right in between a rocky, mountain terrain and the soft sand next to the sea. The air which came from the forest carried a fresh scent of pine, mixing pleasantly with the salty smell of the waves. The building itself was modern, yet held some traditional designs. There were three floors with multiple rooms, aside from the ground level. The team left the van, all of them glancing at the sheer size of the lodge as they walked towards it. Kurosaki eagerly gave them basic details about the place, along with what was available at the lodge.

The whole lobby was shining when they entered. The dark and beige marble floors were pristine and the sofa sets with small coffee tables in between looked awfully inviting. The inside of the lodge breathed with a perfectly tasteful mixture of Western and traditional Japanese style. At the reception desk, there was a teenage boy working who gave them the keys, bowing to Kurosaki multiple times. Haru was in charge of room assignment, jotting down on her clipboard the pairs and threes who had roomed together. She had arranged the roommates in an attempt to keep the peace, at least a bit.

"All of our rooms are on the second floor. After you get your keys, please go leave your things and freshen up. Lunch is at one, after that we will begin training. The dining room is over there," Haru explained, pointing to the left where a sign was showing the entrance to the restaurant. "Room 201, Yamamoto-kun, Kai-san and Shibayama-san." The third year came over to take the set of keys, picking up the keys. "202, Morisuke and Lev." Yaku groaned as he picked up the keys. Haru gave him a sympathetic smile. "Room 203, Fukunaga-kun, Teshiro-san and Inuoka." The silent wing spiker walked over and bowed as he picked up the keys.

"Oh, are you rooming with us or with the coaches, Haru?" Kuroo casually addressed her, seeing as only himself, her and Kenma were left standing in the hallway. Haru looked up, pen going to her lip as she considered both options.

"Either is fine with me?"

"Then room with us." Surprisingly, it was Kenma who spoke up. Haru gave him a bright smile, noting that down and picking up her bag.

"Alright." Kuroo reached over, taking her luggage and swinging it over his shoulder, next to his own bag. "Oh, thanks." He was awarded a bright smile. "Then, Ku- Ryota-san, we will have lunch at the restaurant and do our own breakfast and dinner?"

"Mhm," the man nodded, looking up from his phone, he placed it in his back pocket, giving the remaining three teens his full attention. "I'm sorry Chiharu-chan, my other place is having a bit of a crisis, so I'm going to head out. Masaru, over there," Kurosaki motioned to the reception desk, making the boy who was working there stand at attention. "should be able to help you with anything you need. Second shift here is… Yuuka, right?"

"Yes, sir." Masaru confirmed.

"She should be helpful, too. They can show you to the kitchen you can use, as well as the gym for volleyball out back." Haru nodded, smiling at the receptionist who seemed a little flustered by the whole ordeal. "If you need anything, you have my number. Give my best to Dari!" And with that, Kurosaki was gone, not even letting the girl express her thanks.

"Shall we?" Kuroo asked, making the last group move from the lobby, towards the elevator.

* * *

The room was rather spacious. Contrary to the hallways and doors, which were all built in a typically Western style, the inside was very Japanese. It had a balcony along the outer wall and two wide windows which slid to the side in order to open. There were three nightstands, in dark wood, which had multiple drawers, along the walls. Kuroo wandered over, placing the two bags from his hands down.

"Where are the futons?" He asked, wandering over to the nightstands and rummaging through, looking for the supplies.

"Here," Haru said, opening the only wardrobe in the room, right next to the door. "Should we set them up now or in the evening?"

"Now, unless you will be setting up all three in the evening." Kuroo laughed, walking over. His body towered over Haru's as he pulled out the three futons with ease, walking to the center of the room. Kenma had slumped down against the wall, looking ready to doze off any second.

"Let me help." Haru rushed over, desperately fighting the blush on her face from the earlier contact with the volleyball captain. The two set up futons in the middle of the tatami, one next to the other. "Anyone have preferences for sleeping position?"

"I like to cuddle, if you're up for it?" Kuroo gave her one of his smug grins, making the blush return to her face in full force.

"I'll take the middle." Kenma spoke for the first time since he'd gotten off the train. "And I need to charge my PSP."

"There's an outlet over there," Haru pointed to one of the nightstands. "Anyone have anything else they need to charge? I think there are only two charging ports."

"My phone is alright for now, and I don't really need it." Kuroo shrugged, going to his bag. He took out his training clothes and a towel. "Haru, you wanna hit the bathroom first or should I?"

"You can go." The girl smiled, and the tall boy vanished into the adjoining room. "I guess that's it for now." The girl nodded, happy with the work. She took out the notebook with training notes out and started scribbling the last few ideas down in the schedule.

"I'm sorry," Kenma spoke, making Haru look at him questioningly. "For Kuroo and his antics." The girl glanced towards the bathroom, where they could hear the water running.

"It's alright," she smiled. "I guess that's just how he is." She shrugged. "I can deal with him alright." She then frowned. "For now, at least. He's been very helpful with the arrangements for the camp and I can't really fault him for being himself."

"Alright." Kenma nodded, then took out his phone and settled again against the wall, PSP charging across the room.

* * *

Haru had managed to singlehandedly crush the boys' dreams of a beach vacation, and their idea of the Golden Week camp. They'd secretly started calling her demon manager amongst themselves. After lunch, which had been a luxurious buffet, sporting all types of food they could imagine, the girl hadn't taken them to the gym, but to the woods to the back of the lodge. Then, she'd divided them into teams, giving them light shirts of neon colors. The 'it' team, consisting of Lev, Inuoka and Kuroo, had red jerseys and the 'runners' had gotten green ones. Then, she'd told them to do their best and given them two hours to run around, chasing each other. The 'home' for caught runners had been next to her, where they would have to be liberated by one of their teammates in order to run away again.

Expectedly, Kenma had been among the first to get caught, along with surprisingly Kai. The latter had admitted that he'd stepped weirdly on a rock and Haru had immediately told him to sit down, putting a cold compress on the injured ankle, after inspecting it thoroughly and deciding that it was just a light twist.

"Do you hate volleyball?" Kai had surprised her with his question, making her look up at him as she wrapped his leg. Her head tilted to the side, thinking.

"Not really," the girl replied. "I'm not into sports a lot, and I don't care much for playing myself, but I like seeing people doing their best." He nodded after that and seemingly getting the answer he wanted from her.

Their evening had been scheduled at the gym, where the Nekoma team met the other volleyball group at the lodge. They were a rowdy group from Nagasaki, eager to talk about the sport as they all worked out. Haru had told the boys which machines to use, making certain that they were working on the areas she had noticed were their weak points. Finally, after an hour of gym time, the boys were set free. They were told to meet her in a separate dining area, where they could get dinner, before having some free time on the beach.

The boys had taken showers and then met up at the beach, deciding to tell ghost stories. The small group of eleven people settled on the sand in a circle, building a small fire in the already prepared pit, taking turns to tell creepy stories. They were mostly made up, concerning the lodge they were staying at. But, an occasional one was from their neighborhood, the school or the train station they used to get to Nekoma. Haru had taken the seat in between Yaku and Kai, staying silent or laughing when Yamamoto told his stories, which always seemed to have hilarious endings. Kenma, surprisingly, had the scariest ones.

"Do you see those rocks there?" The setter asked in a low voice, pointing out to the two tall structures in the sea. The boys all nodded or hummed. "It is said that a long time ago two lovers jumped into the see off a cliff because their love was forbidden." The setter continued. "The woman was a princess and she had fallen in love with a fisherman who wasn't her intended. They were planning to meet up at the cliff where the lodge now stands. But the letters got mixed up, the woman's fiancée coming in her stead. Thinking she'd betrayed him, the fisherman slit the nobleman's throat." Kenma dragged his finger across his throat, making his audience gulp. "So, they killed themselves when the villagers rose up against him. They held hands as they died together, preserving their love. Unfortunately, the woman's spirit couldn't find peace. It is said that she still roams the halls of whichever building lies on top of the cliff from where they jumped, looking for her lover. She comes while you sleep, going through walls and doors, strangling the beautiful women she is afraid might steal her fisherman."

"Haru, you should watch out." Inuoka chuckled after a moment of silence, making the girl pale further, but laugh as well.

"No way, I'm not that pretty."

"You are!" Yamamoto was quick with his words of seeming comfort, which ended up making Haru even more uneasy. She nervously laughed the comment off.

"Alright, that's enough for today," Kuroo decided he was going to have to be the one to break apart their little party as he stood up. "Shall we all head to bed, we have a busy day tomorrow." He extended a hand to Haru, helping her up. "Do we have a time when we should be at breakfast?"

"Six, if possible." The girl told them, watching as the boys stood, brushing the sand off their bodies and then heading to the lodge, talking amongst themselves. For once, Haru was glad that Kuroo didn't let go of her hand, holding it all the way into the lobby.

* * *

 **Oh man, this was such a nice chapter to write, despite it being a little description heavy. I hope everyone had fun reading :D**

* * *

 **Before I get to the reviews, I have several questions:**

 **1\. Would you guys enjoy another one-shot series about these two?**

 **2\. Would you guys enjoy a one-shot series about Oikawa? (I may or may not have ideas…)**

 **3\. And would you guys be interested in some aesthetics of this fic on my tumbr?**

 **4\. Can anyone guess why Nekomata is late?**

 **5\. Does anyone know why the way Haru lists the boys for their rooms is important, as in the way she addresses them?**

 **6\. Also, did anyone catch the kudos I'd paid to other anime in this chapter?**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **moonlightshadowxiii:**

 **I swear your reviews. I love them, and they scare me. I want to always answer all of it and I always get complaints how my review space is 'falsely advertising' my words count. You know what, I don't care, keep em coming! They make my day!  
If you didn't expect the last update, this one's gonna throw you off yet again! What can I say, I'm using this story to cope with my exam season xD I'm happy to spoil you lot! If someone is willing to read, I will always write :) I legit had a series of oneshots for a 10 person fandom once xD They got lost somewhere on my old pc though... pity...  
But, back to the point, thanks for reading and sooo much for reviewing! Seriously every review makes me go: push that plot! XD  
Haru and her dad are like urghhh so sweet! I think I get a tad unrealistic when I describe father-daughter relationships, because I've never had a proper one... but damn I'm gonna enjoy writing my fantasy at least! Glad that it sits well with you :)  
Kuroo strikes me as that one person who is like 'where's the bathroom? The kitchen?' once, and then he's just making himself a lasagna the next time xD I have friends like those and maaaan do I adore them in my kitchen xD  
Spicy? Spice... you haven't seen no spice yet plz xD this is fluff. We are at the fluff xD then we go and spice it up :P  
Hahahaha good good! I was doing my best to divert your dirty minds to the endless possibilities before going full on HQ humor xD I just love misunderstandings like those and the words were already written like so... i went with 'oh well, have at it then' xD  
Thanks for the input! I'm also a fan of longer, steamier stories... like, when it's just a one-shot without much context it's rather dull for me... and, it's natural for steam to be in a relationship... so, well, I'll be going in that direction that at my own pace xD I'll try not to be too teasing until we get there xD Take a several seats omg I cried when I read that xD So trueeeee thoooough xD I need to take several seats too. Jesus. I'm writing him steamy in the next chapter idc xD  
I will always take my time and reply to you! I'm always kind of saddened by authors who don't reply to me, especially cause I'm also a one km kind of review gal xD I can't help but go overly analytic with my praise and criticism xD Feel free to enjoy the reply as much as the chapter! It's my pleasure to be this entertaining :P  
All my best!**

 **bookdragonslayer:  
Hiii thanks for thr review!  
Hmmm is he? Maybe xD Kenma is awfully like a child in his mannerisms in my head, but he's also very mature in his thinking process... idk if it makes sense? And the poor thing is weak in the morning, let him he babied xD  
For now, he's realizing that he's physically attracted to her... as for more... well... let him process xD  
Cheers!**

 **Milo21:  
Hello welcome to the story and thanks so much for the lovely comment!  
I'm going to do my best to keep you entertained! :)**

 **Valen Goncalvez:  
Hello and thanks so much for leaving a wonderful comment!  
I loved the domestic scene too much my feels...  
Hohohoho team vs training begins xD there will be more complaining xD  
After this beach experience I doubt that they will see girls running around, but more like trouble waiting to happen xD Kuroo will soon learn that Haru can turn any ground into a training ground: it's never safe for him!  
Hope you enjoyed the quick update :)  
Big kiss from Serbia! xoxo**

 **kimikokimono:  
Fuel requested, fuel received! Good luck with your studies :)  
Btw, I'm totally using this story to cope with my exams as well xD  
Feel free to use caps when you feel em :P  
Cheers!**

 **Potato-Faye:  
Ikr me too! Domestic is sooo nice... They always have me going all awwww and gooey inside xD  
Thanks for the review! Hope you enjoyed the update :)**

 **Madama Crimson:  
Hello again! Thanks so much for all the reviews! You all make my day :)  
The domestic is killing me. I need more domestic in this fic xD in every fic! I shall make domestic shit happen xD  
Kenma, as said in the series, is very perceptive. He knows that Haru isn't very comfortable with Kuroo and knows what kind of a girl she is, since they were in the same class the previous year. I figured he would definitely make certain that he was Kuroo's moral compass when it comes to touchiness.  
As for the boys... you just kinda want to adopt them, right? Haru too xD well... she did? XD  
In my head, idk why, Yaku has younger siblings xD in the franchise, he has that kind of protective yet strict attitude with Lev and Inuoka, and he's constantly moming the team, I figured that he would be the most likely to react and quickly misunderstood the conversation for the lewd one it could've been xD so glad you caught onto the things that I was showcasing! That made me super happy :)  
Hope to head from you soon!**

* * *

 **Omake**

He tossed and turned, an uneasy dream ruining his normally nice ones. All the balls going to their side of the court were so hard to dig. The terrain was horrendous, full of rocks and small tufts of grass, which all threatened with a sprained ankle. To top it off, on the other side of the net, there was a horrifying silhouette of a man, stocky, yet with gangly arms. But, that wasn't what put him in a state of unease. The man was, in fact, gurgling incomprehensible noises, blood pooling from his open wounds, arms and torso full of infected gashes from an axe. Oddly enough, the man smelled of feet, quite profusely, as if the toes that had spent a day in a sweaty shoe were right under his nose. He actually gagged as he ran to dig yet another powerful spike from the zombie-like creature.

Then, a ball, no, a rock, slammed him right in the face and he startled, waking up.

Yaku sat up on his futon, breathing hard. There was a weight on his legs, which he had to squint to identify. Lev's legs were sprawled over his own, locking his ankles. Yaku scoffed, pushing them off and kicking the covers back over his cold feet. He ignored the sounds of Lev dreaming, which oddly sounded like the weird groans from his own nightmare.

But the stench! He had made certain that Lev took a shower the previous evening after training. There was no way that the smell was coming from him. The short libero stood, going to the bathroom to wash his face and get a drink. On the way back, he opened a window. That was when he noticed them. Two long white socks were settled on a heater, drying and positively contaminating the room with poison gas.

Yaku pushed down his urge to grab them and hurl them over the balcony, never to be seen again. Instead, his eye twitching in rage, the boy picked them up as if he was touching something disgusting and borderline dangerous and dropped them on the balcony floor.

He stayed by the window a while longer, waiting for the room air to clear up. Then, the short libero left the pane cracked open, deciding that he would A: not participate in ghost stories next time and B: request of Haru to never, ever, put him in a room with Lev again.

* * *

 **I actually had something similar to this omake happen to me. I'm so sorry Yaku. I'm so, so,** _ **so**_ **sorry.**


	9. A pair of Oni

**I'm not okay. This much writing isn't good. I'm so happy to be doing it though xD Everyone, feel free to thank moonlightshadowxiii for Kuroo in this chapter.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 9: A pair of Oni**

She couldn't breathe. There were hands around her throat, holding it tight, restricting the airflow. As any normal person would do, in such a situation, Haru panicked. Her eyes snapped open and were met with a pale face, almost see-through, staring down at her. The woman was, in short, breathtaking. She had the features of one of those princess portraits Haru had seen in her history books, eyes dark and mouth small, in a serene expression. Yet, her hands were still tightly holding onto the girl's throat, making her unable to pull oxygen into her lungs.

Haru glanced to the side, trying to call for help, but her voice was gone and what came out of her was a mere squeak. She almost sighed in relief when Kenma's familiar dyed head moved, the boy turning over to see her from the middle futon. But, it wasn't his face that she saw. It was the face of a man who had been in the sea for too long, dripping wet and skin peeling.

With a squeak of terror, Haru sat up in her bed, gasping for air. She quickly looked around the room, realizing that she couldn't see a thing in the dark. Yet, right in front of the bathroom door, she could make out a silhouette of a person, standing tall. When it moved, heading for her, her heart thundered and she backed away, messily crawling off her futon backwards.

"Shhh, Haru, Haru," Kuroo's voice managed to break her from her delusion, causing her to squint in order to see his familiar hair sticking up even more insanely than usual. "Wake up." He whispered. "Are you alright?"

"Kuroo." The girl gasped out. "Oh, God, Kuroo." The boy reluctantly came closer to her and she left all the politeness she'd been taught behind, grabbing onto his extended arms. "It's just Kuroo." The girl was aware of her trembling, which just wouldn't stop, no matter how much she willed it to.

"Are you okay?" He asked from the dark, his low voice a comforting note. His arms were warm, going all the way around her, but not pressing her trembling body to his own. "Do you want some water?" There was no reply, so he slowly pulled away. "I'll go get you a glass." As he was getting up, though, two small hands grabbed his shirt like a vice.

"No…" Haru's voice was so small he barely heard it. It was cracking and she sounded on the verge of tears. Kuroo sat back down, pulling the girl closer to him and giving her a tight hug. "I'm sorry." She mumbled into his shirt. "Please don't go. She might come back." At that, Kuroo tilted his head to the side, processing.

"Who?"

"The ghost woman." When there was no reply, the girl elaborated. "The one from Kenma's story. She was choking me." Kuroo held in a chuckle that threatened to come out. Could the girl get any more adorable? She'd actually dreamt of the scary story their setter had made up.

"Don't worry, she won't come back." Kuroo's hand found her loose hair, gently going through it, working on untangling one curl from the other. He wasn't sure how long they sat like that, but his legs were slowly falling asleep in the uncomfortable position. "Haru, we need to go back to bed, we should be up in a few hours." When he slowly let go of the girl, her head rose in order for her to look at him. Even in the darkness of the room, he could see how terrified she was. "C'mon. You can sleep in my futon tonight. That should keep the ghost at bay."

"Are you trying something?" The girl's voice was on edge, defensive.

"To get both of us some rest?"

"Alright, then." The girl agreed, letting him pull her up and lead her to the other side of Kenma's sleeping form. She didn't dare look at the setter, fearing the horrible vision from her dream. Kuroo crawled in, holding the covers up and letting her shimmy into the warm space, as well. Her body came to rest against his front, facing him.

"Are you alright?" He asked again softly when he noticed that the shaking of her body was slowly receding.

"I'm sorry." But her voice still sounded on the verge of tears. "I'm not good with ghost stories." Kuroo pulled her closer, cursing himself for enjoying the way her warm skin touched his own in the places his usual nightwear left bare. Haru's head ended up on his arm, then wriggled all the way to his shoulder, one arm circling his middle.

"I guessed so from your expression at the beach." He patted her hair with his free hand, realizing that he loved the crazy curls that were always messy. "Why didn't you object to the idea when the boys asked to do it?"

"They were so excited." Haru spoke up after a minute. "They had just had a lot of harsh training, I couldn't deny them some ghost stories." Kuroo sighed, his eyes closing and his mouth tugging into a smile. She was too good. She was too good for him. For anyone. Haru was too kind.

"Next time, when you're uncomfortable or scared, you say so." He gently scolded. "Trust me, the boys will care more about your comfort than a few ghost stories."

"You think?" He looked at her, seeing her eyes wide, still misty from her nightmare, looking up at him invitingly. Kuroo inwardly groaned, telling himself that he wouldn't take advantage. He wouldn't. He wasn't that kind of a person. He wouldn't.

"I'm sure." He replied as gently as possible. Haru's eyes wondered down and then back up at his own. She had just looked at his lips. He wouldn't.

"Thank you, Tetsurō." Oh he would. Kuroo's free hand came up to tuck the stray curls behind her ear and then trailed his fingers down to her chin. He felt, more than heard, the sharp intake of breath that the girl took. His thumb came to brush the very edge of her bottom lip, gently, as if it would vanish if he pressed any harder.

Kuroo looked at the girl's eyes, which were watching him in rapt attention, then wandering to his lips quickly, then back to his eyes. He threw caution to the wind and leaned just a few centimeters further in, placing a gentle kiss to the very edge of Haru's mouth, right at the corner, his own skin touching his thumb. He heard another sharp inhale, felt it on his skin as her mouth parted. But, he'd already snapped his personal chains of self-control back on. This wasn't taking advantage. This was… this was… When he pulled back, desperate to not do so and simply kiss the girl senseless, he found her eyes closed, mouth partially open, as if waiting for his own. He wouldn't.

"That should chase the spirits away, don't you think?" He was an idiot. A huge idiot. Haru opened her eyes, giving him a gentle look, before reaching up with her hand, kissing her fingers and then placing them on his cheek. His body was on fire at the innocent action.

"It should." The girl agreed and then proceeded to turn around, fingers intertwining with the hand that was being used as her pillow. Kuroo's head, though, was on fire. He was painfully aware of the heat in his lips, where he'd pressed them to the edge of her mouth. He couldn't stop the tingling in his cheek, where she'd given him an indirect kiss. He was all too aware of her head on his shoulder, the messy curls smelling of coconuts and coffee. Her back, legs and behind were the worst, though. Her backside was pressed against his front, making him imagine anything disgusting and not at all attractive that he could in order to not make his predicament of obsessing over the girl obvious to her. Her legs were intertwined with his, smooth warm skin sending small jolts of electricity up and down his body. And those fingers, as they played with his longer ones, were horribly distracting. Kuroo waited until Haru's small touches stilled, deeming her asleep, before he dared to breathe a bit deeper. He was in so much trouble. He was in _so_ much trouble. This had nothing to do with mere physical attraction and he was in _so much trouble._

* * *

Kenma shook Kuroo awake at half past five that morning, making the captain jump up and look scandalized, before realizing that he had nothing to be scandalized about.

"Haru was gone when I got up." The setter clarified, making Kuroo sigh and drag his hands across his face. "Did you do something?" The captain looked up at his friend, to see the dubious expression on his face.

"Honestly, no," Kuroo shook his head. "Well, yes. No, maybe?" Kenma's expression got more and more amazing as the tall third year backtracked.

"Did she see it as maybe?"

"I don't know what she saw it as!" Kuroo's hands went up in exasperation, making Kenma frown even more.

"This is going to be trouble." The setter concluded in a tone which held finality to it.

"You think?" Sarcasm was Kuroo's only defense as the telltale sound of 'Game Over' came from his friend's PSP, making him groan and dive back into the covers of his futon. They smelled like coconuts and coffee. Kuroo's groan was muted by the covers.

* * *

Haru had always found cooking somehow comforting. It was a steady pace of peeling, washing, cutting and mixing in a different way. It was always definite, certain and kept her grounded. She'd learnt to cook from both of her parents, so she was able to make both Cuban and Japanese dishes. Though, most days, it was only her in the kitchen at home. Everyone else was busy. Her mother traveled with different sports teams around the world, reporting live from different locations. Her father was almost always somewhere with his soccer boys, keeping them in top form. With her brother at living on his own, only visiting occasionally to grab a family meal, and her sister working as a model, the house was empty. So, with the volleyball team, Haru had the noise that she had been missing. The boys were rowdy, but generally nice. When she needed silence, she sought out Kenma. When she was looking for comfort, Yaku was the perfect choice. When she was looking for troublesome teasing and unpredictable situations, Kuroo was the option. The first years were by far the loudest, their company always welcome when it came to volleyball explanations.

The girl stirred the food in the pot, replacing the glove on the counter as she turned to the other side, cutting more vegetables for their breakfast. Kurosaki, from Okinawa and not from work, had been kind enough to provide her with a kitchen she could work with. She had bought the ingredients she'd needed at the odd hours that morning, getting directions to the local store from the receptionist, a quiet girl a tad shorter than herself.

"Do you need a hand?" Haru looked to the door to find Yaku standing there, giving a big yawn, his hair messy.

"If you'd like, I won't say no," the girl smiled. She liked Yaku. He was reliable, friendly and by far the fastest friend she'd made in a while.

"Just promise me two things," the libero walked over, taking one of the aprons and tying it behind his back expertly. "Never room me with Lev again and never let them tell those crappy stories again." Haru giggled.

"That bad?"

"Worse." The libero looked around the kitchen, not asking her where he could be useful, but taking up the task of peeling vegetables on his own. It had been the perfect choice to help her, too.

"I can promise that those two won't happen again, then." The two settled into a comfortable silence, only talking when they needed to switch tasks or give each other items. Soon enough, food for the team was ready. "Morisuke, am I doing alright?" Yaku glanced at the girl who was setting tables, placing napkins and glasses perfectly in front of plates.

"I'd say yes, but everyone has their own opinion." The libero turned the stove off, deeming the food thoroughly cooked. "I mean, my muscles are sore all over, in a good way. That's just a testament as to how well you planned the first day." He took off the apron and placed it back on the hanger.

"Oh, good," the girl smiled. "Please give me more direction as I go. I want the year to be successful."

"Yeah…" Yaku murmured, looking at his wet hands and dried them. "It's our last chance to go to the Nationals. Well, the third years." Kuroo's face from last night, all to close to her own, invaded her thoughts and Haru blushed profusely.

"I'll do my best to help you get ready."

"That's all we can ask for, really." Yaku plopped down in one of the seats, trying to find a comfortable position due to his sore muscles. "And a massage. I need like ten sessions to get rid of this soreness." Haru chuckled, walking over to the boy and placing her hands on his shoulders, her fingers settling in a comfortable rhythm of undoing the knots which had built up there. "Now, that's heaven." The boy sighed.

"No fair, Yaku!" Yamamoto walked into the kitchen, frown coming to his face. There was a group of chattering first years following him. "I want a massage, too."

"Hell no!" Yaku complained, but Haru gave a smile and nodded.

"I'll go around the tables as you guys eat, don't worry Yamamoto-san." The boy frowned, walking over to sit across from the libero.

"Say, why does Yaku get to be called by his first name by a Goddess?" Yamamoto pouted, just as more of the team entered. "Call me by my first name, too, Haru!" He requested, causing the girl to giggle.

"Sure, Taketora-kun." That, unfortunately for Haru, caused a chain reaction. Soon enough, the majority of the team was requesting that she call them by their first names, too. Haru was more than happy to oblige.

* * *

She was pulling away from him. He could tell. It was a subtle motion, but it was there. Haru was turning her back to him, putting another person in between them or just plain avoiding him. It was annoying and made him want to catch her by the arm, drag her into a secluded spot and then... yell at her? Maybe. Maybe toss his moral compass out the window again. He definitely wasn't sure. Haru had become, in a span of just a few days the only person in the world that could successfully unsettle him. Make him do something crazy without a single rational thought in his head. He loved it, yet feared it.

"Please split up into teams," her voice did things that no voice should have power over. "Red team: Morisuke, Lev, Kenma," Was it the fact that he had admitted to himself what was going on? "Green: Taketora, Tamahiko and Kai," Definitely, something had changed. He was more aware of her, too.

"I'm not playing today?" Inuoka piped up, coming up next to their manager and giving her a pleading look.

"If you would just let me finish," Haru gently bonked him on the head with her clipboard. "The rest will make up different teams and fight the winner. But, you will all start with running before that! Players to the court, runners follow Kuroo-sempai."

Kuroo...sempai? Why? The whole team was on first name basis with her. Why was she calling him Kuroo? And sempai, of all things. Yes, he definitely wanted to grab her and drag her off somewhere secluded to yell at her.

"Running group is a go!" Kuroo whipped around, pushing his discontent down and putting his usual smirk on his face. If there was one thing he could do, it was hide how miffed he was, despite the level of discontent. He had always been good at that. But, by the look that Kenma gave him as the boy led the barefoot group to run across the length of the sandy beach, the setter knew him too well.

* * *

"She's a demon." Yamamoto whined, managing to plop down into one of the comfortable sofa chairs in the lobby. Soon, he was joined by the majority of the team, none of them able to feel their legs.

"I didn't know I could hurt like this." Yaku groaned, his head thrown back over the headrest, eyes closed. "Can someone carry me to bed?" Haru had made the boys switch between playing three versus three games to running the length of the beach until the game was done, all barefoot. Their steps were much harder on the uneven, constantly shifting surface. Digging for balls had to be done precisely and with careful calculation, otherwise one of them would end up with either scrapped knees of with a mouth full of sand. The whole team was exhausted, like they had played multiple consecutive games, little grains of sand clinging to their sweaty bodies.

"I don't ever want to see a beach again in my life." Shibayama murmured, a set of agreeing groans ringing out.

"And Kuroo, what the heck was with that pace." Kai complained, his hands going over the sore muscles in his legs. They wouldn't stop trembling no matter how much he massaged them.

"Demon captain." Lev agreed.

"And demon manager." Inuoka added. The group groaned again, deciding to just stay where they were until they could wobble their way to the elevator.

* * *

Kuroo showered rather quickly, eager to get all the sand off of his body. He left the bathroom in a pair of clean shorts and a t-shirt. He saw Haru packing a small backpack next to her bag.

"Going somewhere?" the captain asked casually, toweling his hair off.

"The store," the girl didn't even look up at him. "We need groceries for tomorrow." She stood, finally turning to look at him. She was wearing a tiny thing that shouldn't be called a shorts. Her legs were surprisingly long and shaped attractively, not too thin. But, what fascinated him the most was her hair. As always, it was messy and in a bun. Yet, a few stray curls had managed to escape it, framing her face and sticking to her damp neck.

"Do you want some company?" Haru seemed to consider his offer for a second, before nodding quickly. "Just give me a second." Kuroo had been trained through various 5-second changing routines at volleyball practice to be ready in no time. He pulled on some flipflops and tossed his towel on the drying rack on the balcony. Grabbing his cellphone and wallet, the boy walked up to the girl who had been waiting by the door. "Ready."

She didn't speak and stood at arm's length away from him as they took the elevator down to the lobby. The duo passed the team, half of them asleep on the sofa chairs next to the reception. Haru giggled at the sight, pointing it out to him. Kuroo stifled his laugh, catching Kenma and Kai's glares from their half-dead, cooked noodle like positions on the comfortable two-seater.

"Head upstairs before you all fall asleep." The captain reminded, giving them a wave and ignoring the couple of groans and muted complaints that got him. Haru couldn't stop giggling until they were on the paved road, ready to walk about half a kilometer to the closest store.

"Do you think I overdid it?" She spoke to him, finally.

"Nah," Kuroo shrugged. "It will be good for them in the long run." He fell into step with her, sparing her a glance. She was looking out towards the water, pensive. "Ever gone for a night swim?" That had her head spinning to look at him.

"What?" Haru almost shrieked, her cheeks going an attractive red color, despite the natural tan. "No, I haven't."

"Do you want to?" At his question, she looked back out at the sea.

"You wouldn't be scared?"

"Nah," Kuroo watched her reactions carefully. "It's just water, same as during the day. Whatever is in it now, is in it at all times." The girl turned to him, as if mulling over the possibility of going for a swim.

"But the sharks…"

"Are there in the afternoon, too." Kuroo told her. "It's true that sharks are most active at night, dusk and dawn. However, they are rare in this area. The last few sightings were near Cape Zampa, and they were small ones, maybe 1.5 meters or so." He noticed the way Haru was watching him in wonder. "They aren't the kind that attack unprovoked, so if we don't bother them they won't bother us."

"You…" Haru began, pausing. "Know a lot about sharks." Kuroo almost sighed.

"I'm not just a pretty face, I'll have you know," He teased. "Biology is my thing." At that, she seemed more interested.

"Is that the field you're interested in working in?" Kuroo shrugged.

"Maybe that, maybe professional volleyball." He told her. "I've been scouted a few times, but nothing serious yet. So, maybe I'll major in bio at college. Who knows…" His hand came up to rub the back of his neck, a little embarrassed at the topic which was centered around him.

"You're surprisingly modest, Kuroo-sempai." Haru giggled.

"What's with that?" His almost offended statement got her to look at him, eyes wide in question. "Call me by my name, like the rest of the team. I'm feeling rather excluded, you know?" She didn't laugh, but looked at her hands, fingers playing with each other nervously. "Or, am I different?"

"Honestly, I don't know what to make of you, Kuroo-sempai." When he didn't reply, she continued. "One second, you're teasing me and flirting casually, and the next you're all professional, helping me with my duties as a manager. And then, you're being too forward again."

"Sorry," Kuroo laughed, trying to ease the tension. "I guess that's just how I am?" He saw the way she stole a glance at him. "Do I make you uncomfortable?"

"No." She immediately replied. "Okay, maybe a bit sometimes."

"Then tell me." Haru looked up at him, seeing his serious expression. "When I'm making you uncomfortable, you tell me upfront. I'll stop doing whatever is making you uneasy." She nodded, her eyes wondering to the sea again.

"Have you ever done it?" He had to focus his brain away from inappropriate thoughts and figure out what she was talking about. "Swimming at night, I mean."

"No."

"Do you want to?" Kuroo smiled at the flipped conversation.

"Yes."

"Let's do it, then." There was a mischievous glint in Haru's eyes when she looked up at him again. He liked that look on her. He had seen it only a few times, but he definitely liked her like that. Bold, confident, mischievous. That was the part of her that he absolutely adored.

"Let's." She grabbed his hand, pulling him off the road and onto the sandy beach. His legs protested the walk, but he begged them to last until the very edge of the sea. There, the girl finally let go, making him miss her warm palm in his. She had small hands, he realized.

"Don't peek." Haru scolded him, dropping her backpack onto the sand. Next, she pulled the edges of her white shirt up, making him quickly look away and slip out of his flipflops, as well.

"Only if you won't." He cheekily replied, making her chuckle. His shirt was off, folded on his sandals, when he heard her wade into the water. His capris came off next, followed by his boxers, and then he was also walking into the dark water, following the sounds of Haru staying afloat. "You can turn, you know." He commented when he was in waist-deep, nothing of importance in view. He doubted that she would've been able to see anything in the dark night anyways.

The girl turned and he realized that she had her hair down, for once. It moved like a cloud of messy curls around her head, still dry, and clung to her bare shoulders in the water, drenched. She looked like some kind of an exotic sea Goddess and Kuroo cursed himself for thinking like only Yamamoto could.

"Your hair looks nice like that." He commented, pushing off the sand and coming to float close to her. Haru giggled, coming a bit closer on her own.

"Like a wild child?"

"Like you."

"Thanks." Then, her shy smile turning positively devilish, she reached over and dunked him under the surface, her laugh ringing out even underwater.

* * *

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this as much as I did… I love writing Haru and Kuroo, I'm hooked xD**

* * *

 **As for the questions from last time, thanks Valen Goncalvez for participating!**

 **1\. Then, I shall do my best to prepare another bit of one-shots soon :D**

 **2\. Oikawa's one-shots are in progress… Shamelessly.**

 **3\. This, I won't promise soon, but there will definitely be some tumblr activity regarding Haru and Kuroo :D**

 **4\. Bingo for Valen Goncalvez! Nekomata is arranging matches for after the Golden Week, so he's late :P**

 **5\. Haru addresses the boys with various degrees of respect (from their first name to last name + san / sempai)**

 **6\. I've, so far, paid homage to Ghost Hunt and Kuroko no Basuke, both great anime!**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **Valen Goncalvez:  
Thanks so much for the review! You're awesome :D  
I'm on fire with writing! I feel the inspiration going nuts xD  
To be honest with you, I'm a little afraid of writing the Karasuno boys… They are all so peculiar in their own way that I'm scared to mess their characters up xD Dreading, yet awaiting with glee, those chapters xD  
Thanks so much for your answers! I can't express how much that meant to me!  
Hope you enjoyed the update!**

* * *

 **Omake:**

Haru giggled as the Kuroo pushed the door to the lodge open with his body, holding it open for her and giving her a mock bow with his head and torso. They each had numerous bags in their hands, full of groceries. Her hair had left a dark trail of wetness down the back of her shirt, from the sea, and his still somehow managed to stick up weirdly.

"Ladies first." Kuroo mocked her, but Haru went along with it, bowing to him politely as she passed, giggling all the way. All the awkwardness she'd been feeling that day had been cleared with a simple skinny dip at night and a trip to the store afterwards. Who'd have thought?

"Oh gosh!" Haru lowered her voice, instantly moving towards Kuroo to whisper to him. "They're still here!" He looked up from her and to the object of her mirth, finding it easily. The Nekoma volleyball team was still sprawled where they'd left them hours ago, sleeping messily on the comfortable sofa chairs in the lobby.

"Should we leave them?" Kuroo smirked.

"Oh my God, no!" Haru whipped her head to him, but didn't have the heart to glare at him. "They'll be so sore in the morning!"

"They'll be sore anyways."

"True." Haru shrugged, then turned to him as she led the way towards the kitchen they had been using. "Did you hear what they called you?"

"Mmm?" Kuroo was right behind her, helping her put away the groceries into the fridge.

"Demon captain."

"You're saying something, demon manager."

* * *

 **I think… I might be a little obsessed with this ship now…**


	10. The Zookeeper

**Welcome welcome, I have nothing more to say except: Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 10: The Zookeeper**

Coach Nekomata leaned back in the comfortable car seat, enjoying the way the soft surface hugged his sore back. He was tired from the train ride. In his old age, he was even considering taking a small back pillow with him on following trips. He hadn't been too worried when Sakurano had suggested that she take the responsibilities of the first day of the training camp on her own. The girl had been hesitant to join as the manager, he knew that much. From the grapevine at school, Nekomata had heard the unsavory rumors which had started circling as soon as Kuroo had tried recruiting Sakurano. While he had been worried, he hadn't stepped in, waiting to see how things would work out. He had considered talking to the girl after she had come to his office that day, saying that she was too busy for clubs. Yet, when he saw her now, dedicated fully to bettering their chances at Nationals, he was glad that he had stood on the sidelines. Things had worked out in the end.

"Kurosaki-san, was it?" Nekomata looked to the driver of the expensive car, a young man with multiple tattoos and piercings.

"Ah, yes sensei?" Kurosaki spared him a quick glance, eyes going back to the road again. Nekomata had been surprised when he'd heard that Sakurano had arranged the Sunny Beach lodge for them somehow. It was a rather famous place for sports teams of all calibers, and quite expensive. Yet, she'd told him that she had managed to get them a rather nice accommodation for free, through favors.

"Thank you for doing this," Nekomata said to the young man.

"It's nothing," Kurosaki laughed. "I owe so much to Chiharu's father." He said, eyes pensive. "Dari-san helped me so much, with both my career and then connections to set up this business. This is the least I can do."

"You know Sakurano's father well?" Nekomata knew who Dari Sakurano, or Caballero Dalian, was very well. The man had done so much in his career as a soccer player, first for his own country and then for Japan. After coming aboard the National team as a coach, he had become even more famous. The Caballero name opened quite a few doors and passed red VIP tapes as if they were traffic stops turned green.

"I was his kōhai when he played." Kurosaki said. "He was one hell of a player and he is an even better coach. We are lucky to have him."

"Indeed, we are." Nekomata agreed.

"He taught me everything he knew, you know, sensei." The young man said, sounding rather nostalgic. "There was something magic about the way he passed the ball. I could never get it quite like he did. It was like a magician giving a show whenever he was on the field. Even when he showed me how the trick was done, I was quite hopeless at it."

"You did well, too." Kurosaki Ryota. Only someone who didn't follow sports didn't know the name. A player who had come from nothing, rising from many hardships, bad schooling and horrible record with the police to become one of the most sought-after soccer players in the world. There had been a rumor about a rather large sum of money being offered by England just to have him. Yet, he had declined and gone into business after he'd reached the peak of his career, still infamous in sports. Nowadays, he ran one of the most successful chain of training and tourist lodges across the country.

"I suppose I did. I'm glad I retired, though." Kurosaki shrugged. "My leg gave out. I suffered a bad injury in one of the last games I played. Yet, every time I see these kids doings their best I just want to return to the field and score again."

"Maybe you will return some day," Nekomata smiled. "I did, after all. Coaching isn't like playing, but it puts you back on the court and into the game."

"Oh, I doubt it," Kurosaki laughed. "But, nothing is impossible, just improbable."

* * *

Kuroo stumbled down the stairs and towards the kitchen at just a little past five in the morning. He was groggy and could barely see out of his eyes. Yesterday's training had left his legs sore and his stomach aching. He couldn't believe how such a seemingly sweet girl could come up with such a devilish training schedule. Sure enough, he had approved it, but he hadn't accounted for her raising the numbers of repetitions or making all of those punishments for each of their 'games'. She truly was the devil manager.

He stopped short as his hand hit the handle of the kitchen door, though. He could hear the telltale music coming from inside. It was a familiar beat of the salsa, making him want to move to the rhythm, despite all the soreness and grogginess. The captain chanced a look through the door window and decided that he wasn't going to go inside after all.

Haru was behind the counter, wearing a dress, for once, which came to her thighs. It was dark blue and with the pink apron and her hair up in a loose bun, she made quite the picture. She was dancing around casually, her hips moving side to side with the salsa beat, as she stirred the numerous foods in different pans and pots. After replacing the lids on the pots, she went back to chopping the fresh vegetables and fruits, singing the foreign lyrics absent-mindedly.

Kuroo's eyes decided to fall from her hair, which he had been growing increasingly infatuated with, and to those constantly moving hips. He couldn't peel his gaze away from the hypnotizing movement. His sleepy brain slowly wandered over the line, giving him an image of that very same girl moving her hips while she straddled him. Quickly, Kuroo moved back from the door window, leaning against the wall to the side. The image of Haru in absolutely no clothing in the dark water, illuminated only by the few street lights and moonlight, smirking mischievously at him didn't help at all.

He felt his cheek redden and his heart beat an insane pace in his chest. His hand rose to touch the spot where the beat, all too much out of tune with the soft rhythm of the salsa, was thumping crazily. She was going to give him a heart attack. All thoughts of going _in_ the kitchen vanished from his head and Kuroo slid down the wall, sitting on the ground, his head between his knees. He was in _so much trouble._ He didn't know for how long he sat there, listening to the girl hum to her music and clank cutlery as she worked in the kitchen.

"Kuroo…" His head snapped up to find Kenma with a barely-awake expression looking down at him. "Are you sleeping there?" The sound that he produced was somewhere between a whine and a groan. "You are in so much trouble." The setter tsked at him, moving his head side to side in a disapproving motion.

"Help?" Kuroo asked in a soft tone, looking at his friend.

"Just ask her out…" Kenma told him in the usual monotone, making Kuroo's head drop back down.

"You know I don't… I can't…" Kuroo collected himself and looked back up at the setter. "I don't do that well with girls." Kenma seemed to be thinking. "What if she says no?"

"Then show her you like her, and see where it goes." Kenma opened the kitchen door and entered, leaving Kuroo behind to sulk against the wall.

* * *

"Lev, keep up!" Yaku yelled at the tall half-Russian, running up the mountain with quite a bit of agility. They were playing tag again, Kai hot on their heels. Somehow the three had mostly separated from the group, running upwards. Kuroo had vanished, quick as a cheetah, right at the beginning, giving the chasing team quite a bit of trouble. Kenma had gotten caught, again, right at the start. But, with Inuoka, Kai and Fukunaga chasing, Yaku wasn't taking any chances. He had run for his life, especially since the punishment awaited the losing team. Last time, it had been squats. This time, he didn't want to chance doing another set of hundred if he lost. His legs were already wobbly from the rough training Haru had put them through. They couldn't complete the punishment, he was well aware of that.

"I am, sempai!" Lev had managed to rush, falling into step with him.

"Split up." Yaku nodded to the boy and the two dashed off in different directions to the side, hoping to lose their pursuer. But, Kai didn't give up that easily. He managed to grasp Yaku's jersey, touching the boy on the arm. The two stopped, breathing hard.

"Down to the rescue area you go." Kai laughed through his gasps.

"Damn it," Yaku grumbled, but started down the mountain. "I don't want to do the punishment."

"Neither do I." Kai grinned, dashing off after Lev, whose long legs had already taken him out of sight. Yaku walked down the mountain, grumbling and gasping for air. He found Haru at the rescue zone, clipboard in hand.

"Got caught, Morisuke?" She laughed when she saw him. Yaku pouted shamelessly at her.

"Please no punishments while waiting." He begged.

"Tough luck," the girl giggled. "First time caught, you have twenty sit-ups." Yaku groaned, but dropped to the grass, arms going behind his head as he began counting. Haru came over, holding his legs firmly as he completed the punishment.

"What do I need to do?" that monotone could only be Kenma. Yaku glanced up from his position on the ground, seeing their setter completely out of breath and suffering from some form of depression.

"Mmmm," Haru looked to the clipboard, still holding the libero's legs. "Fourth time caught, you have thirty split squat jacks." Yaku lost the willpower to live, dropping down to the grass in a heap. "That was only nine, Morisuke." The libero groaned. Kenma sighed, finding a patch of even land to do his punishment on.

"I want to die." He murmured, starting on the jacks.

"You can do it later, Kenma," Haru told him with a straight face. "For now, I want to hear you counting." And the setter obliged, murmuring numbers as he did his punishment.

"Rescue is here!" Kuroo appeared, jogging down the mountain, sweating profusely. "Oh, how long till the punishment is done?" He asked, looking at the two semi-dead volleyball players. Yaku seemed to still have some life in him, while Kenma was ready to topple over.

"Morisuke, six more, Kenma is on five out of thirty." Haru gave the numbers with a cheery smile.

"I did ten." The setter complained.

"Those five were pathetic and don't count."

"You're the devil incarnate." Kenma murmured, forcing some energy into his limbs. Kuroo laughed, grabbing his water bottle from the pile for some refreshments while he waited.

"I'm not doing any!" he immediately defended when Haru turned to him, an eager look on her face. "I haven't been caught, give me a break!"

* * *

"Nekomata-sensei!" There was a collective gasp and sighs of relief when the team entered the lobby, sweaty and tired, and spotted the old coach sitting on one of the comfortable sofa chairs.

"How are you guys doing?" the old man smiled. "Looks like Haru has been driving you hard." The team collapsed around him, some on the floor, some on the chairs, groaning and sighing when they managed to get off their shaking legs.

"She's a demon, sensei." Yamamoto cried.

"Can we go back to not having a manager?" Kai groaned, leaning back onto his hands from his position on the marble floor, attempting to stretch.

"I don't want to do another squat in my life." Kenma murmured, getting a round of agreement from the rest of the boys.

"We're not done for the day, everyone," Haru walked up to the team, smiling. "You have forty minutes to go upstairs and freshen up before lunch. How was your trip, Nekomata-sensei?" Some of the boys managed to pick themselves up, staggering to the elevator. Kuroo wandered over to Haru, the girl passing him their room key soundlessly. "Is Naoi-sensei not coming?"

"The trip was good, but a bit rough on this old man's back," Nekomata smiled. "Naoi-kun stayed behind, I left him some tasks to do regarding the upcoming practice matches. We are going to Miyagi after this camp, so he's arranging the details."

"Oh, do you need me to do anything?" Haru asked, ignoring the groans that came from the team.

"I don't think I can play, coach." Inuoka said, watching his limp legs.

"Me either." Some of the boys replied to that.

"You will have two days to rest before we go," Nekomata told them. "For now, this is just enough, Haru. Maybe go a bit easy on them for the rest of the day?" Haru tilted her head to the side, frowning.

"But, this was the schedule we approved beforehand?" She mused. "I suppose we can leave out the extra training in the gym today and move around some things that we have on the agenda for the next few days." And so, the Nekoma Boys' Volleyball team was saved by their coach.

* * *

It was a few days later, almost at the end of the training camp, that Haru led the boys to the gym where they could play a game. It was like she had lit a fire of motivation and happiness for them in the dark, too. The group spilled into the space, some falling to the floor and others going for the balls like starved men. They collectively agreed that they didn't want to leave the gym again and didn't want to visit another one of these hell camps.

"Are you guys ready for a practice match?" Haru asked from the gym entrance, smiling, clipboard at her hip. She had made them run the beach again before the match. Yet, even in their sweaty, sand-covered state, the boys were happy to set up a net and get ready.

"Yes!" They answered, rushing to prepare everything. Just as they were finishing, coach Nekomata entered, bringing the Nagasaki volleyball team with him. The other group of boys was grinning, eagerly going for the bench as their manager and coach followed, shaking hands with Haru and talking politely with Nekomata.

"Gather round!" Haru called when the gym was ready, the boys all rushing to sit in a campfire around her. Nekomata stood next to her, smiling.

"Impressive, you've already got them trained well." The coach grinned at her.

"Are we dogs?" Yamamoto complained.

"Just rowdy," Haru laughed, turning to the coach. "Would you like to, sensei?"

"No, they're all yours for the camp." With that the old man walked to the bench, sitting down and watching the dynamics of the new set-up.

"Alright then," Haru turned to the group again, pulling her clipboard up. "The starting members will be: Kai, Kuroo, Morisuke, Sō, Taketora, Kenma," She checked something on the paper. "Shōhei and Yūki, please stay warmed up and be ready to be swapped in. Same for the rest of you," Haru looked up to see the whole group grinning at her. "What?"

"You sound like a real manager, Haru-chan!" Lev told her from his spot on the floor.

"True devil manager." Someone else piped up but she didn't see who.

"Get ready!" Haru dismissed them, but couldn't keep the happy tone from her voice, face red. Her hand rose to cover her cheeks as she walked back to the bench and the grinning Nekomata.

* * *

In the end, the boys managed to win. It had been a tough game, though. The Nagasaki team proved to be quite skillful. Haru had subbed out Inuoka a few times when it had been his turn to serve, giving Fukunaga a chance to shine. The silent player not only had a great serve, but was also useful when it got picked up. She had been studying the boys, how they played and what their strengths were.

The score of the first set ended at 25-20 for Nekoma. The second game got taken by their opponents, at 30-28. Finally, they took the last set, winning at 35-33. Haru made certain to check them all for any strains, pulls or sprains. When they had all been cleared, she sent them upstairs to shower and walked over to the coach.

"You're getting the hang of it, Chiharu." The old man nodded when she sat next to him on the bench.

"They're good," she told him, but looked at her clipboard with a worried face. "Do you think they can go far this year? The Nationals?"

"Maybe." The coach mused, looking at the empty court. "It's going to be hard, though. We need more practice matches to get the first years ready." Haru nodded.

"The ones in Miyagi?"

"Yes," Nekomata confirmed. "I got us two matches there. One is against our old rival, Karasuno." Haru jotted the name down, making a mental note to do some research.

"Are they good?" She asked the coach as he stood, getting ready to leave.

"They should be," the man turned to her. "They have Ukai's grandson training them." Haru didn't know what that meant, but she would find out as soon as she could.

* * *

Packing up always brought a kind of bittersweet feeling. Kuroo was honestly impressed with Haru's management skills. She had packed her bag quickly, going to all the rooms to make sure that all the team members were getting ready properly. And, after they had all gone down to the lobby, she had done a final room check, returning with Lev's socks, Kenma's spare charger and Kai's jersey with a smile.

Kurosaki hadn't been available to take them to the train station, but he had arranged for one of his employees to drive them in a van. They sat comfortably, some of the boys asleep, as the driver blasted popular rock music from across the world from his radio. Kuroo was a little miffed that Yaku had been quick to sit down next to Haru, making the captain choose the seat next to the setter.

On the train, however, Kuroo didn't have to try that hard to get exactly what he wanted. He had just sat down, deciding that he wouldn't bug the girl on the ride home, when she walked over to the seat next to him, letting Lev help her with her bag. She'd plopped down, giving the captain a bright smile.

"My turn?" Haru asked and Kuroo shrugged. She took out her earbuds, giving him one and turning the music on almost as soon as the train started moving. For a while, Kuroo zoned out, his whole body tired from the days of harsh workouts. The salsa that the girl played wasn't too bad, and he was slowly dozing off. Then, the beat changed and a rap song came on. He turned to look at the girl.

"Oya?" the captain smirked. "That's a rather fierce side of you." There was a mischievous glint in the girl's eyes when she grinned at him.

"Shhh," her finger came to her mouth, making him focus on her lips. "Don't tell anyone." She winked and he died. Despite the short-circuiting brain and the dirty words in his ear, Kuroo managed to reply.

"I won't if you don't." He promised. That seemed to satisfy Haru, as she turned in her seat to look at the passing scenery. For a few hours, they sat in comfortable silence, the only movement between them existing when the girl moved her phone to switch between songs. Kuroo noticed how she didn't attempt to wiggle to the beat, like she usually did. Instead, she mouthed the words soundlessly and rested against her seat. He thought back to all the things which she had done during the camp. Between cooking, arranging everything for them and helping them with the training, he didn't doubt that she was tired as hell.

It was after some time that the girl looked around the compartment, seeing that almost everyone was asleep. She slipped off her sneakers, pulling her legs up and attempting to get more comfortable in her seat. Her head came to lean against Kuroo's shoulder and he let her. She snoozed for a bit when the third year got an idea.

His hands rose to push her body a bit further away from him, one hand pulling the armrest in between them up. Then, he tapped her shoulder, pulling his earbud out. Haru turned, her eyes betraying how tired she was.

"Sorry, am I too heavy?" She asked. Kuroo shook his head.

"Switch seats with me." He instructed, standing up. The girl gave him a questioning look and a weak 'okay', but obliged, shimmying to the seat he had previously occupied. Kuroo maneuvered her so that her body was facing the walkway of the train. He sat down, leaning onto the window and pulled her to his chest, letting her rest against his form. Her head came to his shoulder, settling there with a sigh.

"Gosh, you're a genius." Haru told him, picking up her phone to switch songs again. Kuroo put the earbud in again, smiling down at her messy curls.

"You can say that again." Soon enough, the girl was asleep in his arms, not noticing his wondering eyes. His arms came around her, for a second hesitating, before settling down. He dared to place one hand on her hip, relaxing it there when she let out a soft sigh. The other one went parallel with her own, grasping the palm where she was loosely holding her phone. Before long, Kuroo was dozing off, his head falling onto the soft locks which smelled of coconuts and coffee.

"You're over the line." His friend's voice made him look up and across the walkway. Kenma had a calculating look in his eyes, like he when he was figuring out the opponent in a volleyball game.

"Just a bit." Kuroo agreed shamelessly.

"Don't chase her away." The setter told him and his eyes went back to his game. Kuroo looked down at the girl sleeping soundly in his arms, thinking if he could ever bear to chase her away. No, he decided, he really couldn't.

* * *

It was Yaku who woke up the whole team as their stop approached, making sure that they all got off safely with all their belongings. Haru was shivering, despite the red team jacket around her shoulders which Kuroo had tossed over her as she'd slept. She looked groggy and utterly exhausted as they stepped off the train and onto the platform. The captain walked behind her, both their bags in his arms. The team rushed under the roof of the station, escaping the light rain.

"Who all has umbrellas?" Yaku asked, deeming that team management had fallen on his shoulders due to Haru's state. As different boys piped up, rummaging through their bags, the libero assigned them into small groups or pairs, making sure that everyone would get home dry. "Kuroo, can you-"

"Yeah." The captain nodded, taking out his own set of two umbrellas. He handed one to Kenma's awaiting hands. "I'll make sure she gets home, it's on my way."

"Okay," Yaku nodded, as the team was slowly dispersing, everyone saying their goodbyes. "Haru, go sleep once you get home, alright?" The girl nodded from her place, too tired to argue that she didn't need any rest. "I'll see you guys on Monday." And Yaku was gone, too.

"Shall we?" Kuroo led the trio which went in the same directions, making sure that Haru was under his umbrella and that Kenma had his PSP packed, so that it wouldn't get wet.

"Do you want me to come with you?" The setter surprisingly asked as they walked to the other station to catch their train. Kuroo glanced at what he could see of his friend's face. Kenma had that expression that he usually did once he was done processing a situation. He had made some kind of a decision, and Kuroo wasn't certain if he would like it.

"If you want to." Shrugged the captain.

"Mm." In the end, Kenma did go with them all the way to Haru's home, soundlessly seeing her off.

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**

 **Just wanted to give a short shoutout to all those who comment, review and PM me. You know who you are and you guys are the reason these chapters keep flowing so quickly outta my hand. Kudos to you!**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **Moonlightshadowxiii:  
Oh Gosh… I really love your long reviews I'm crying womanly tears of joy xD  
No worries, you always take your time reading and commenting, if you're up for it. I like to be in a perfect position when I'm reading a good piece, too :P Like, I grin and laugh and cry and the whole shebang xD  
I'm so glad that you like my ship… All aboard, unfurl the sails, we're both gone xD  
Kenma is… I love him too… He's such a sweetheart… I'm rewatching HQ casually and like, when he first appears… Gosh he's adorable… I want to adopt him xD Him and Kuroo are my friendship OTP, is that weird? xD  
I wanted to make it a bit more realistic with Kai… I mean, sure they're happy to have a manager, but everyone is going to have their doubts… I chose him to be the voice of reason and kind of verbalize all the issues which could prove as a problem later on :) Glad you enjoyed that snippet :)  
Since you're familiar with Kuroko no Basuke, gosh, like I totally ship Hyuuga and Rika when they're being all devilish together… I had to do something similar to pay homage to that anime xD Haru is just proving as an overachiever, as always :P  
Yaku… I'm sorry for him. I really am… I had a similar situation happen to me and gosh, I'm so sorry for him and what I've put him through xD  
I'm sorry that you're in the same boat as me with the dad situation… Like, my parents are divorced and, while I do know my father, we've never been close (he's spent too much time on his kids from the second marriage). I'm kind of jealous of that, but also kind of indifferent… It's a weird situation… I'm happy to fantasize through writing :P  
Smut is coming. I shan't deny it. Wait and enjoy when it arrives :P  
Thanks for answering my numerous questions xD I'll do my best to live up to expectations :D Tbh, Oikawa is **_**such**_ **a fkboi. I won't deny it. But, I have a bit of a weird OC pairing for him which I'm going to enjoy to the fullest… I also think I'm going to write with a bit of a different timeline for him… I have some ideas and prompts, and also have done some drabbles… I'll work on them when exams are done :)  
P.S.: That one-liner about her looking like a porn star had me in giggles for a solid hour. I couldn't help myself xD  
sec review: I'm just going to stick my reply here and hope that's alright and I won't get threatened about the word count again xD  
No worries, you take your time with reading and I will do my best to keep up with writing in between school stuff… Like, I've been typing out chapters on the bus ride to college the past week xD I'm getting teased by my classmates for writing all the time on the tiny keyboard :P  
Ghost Hunt is like urghhhh I love that anime… and the manga had me in tears… Also a good one from the same genre is Detective Yakumo… Like, GH carved the way into a whole new genre of shoujo which tore me apart. Seriously I need more in the same genre, even if I'm not a horror fan… I was scared of my own shadow after watching that second to last arc T_T  
I thought you would like the whole, not-really-kissing-but-yet-it-was-an-awkward-semi-attempt-at-it and then the awkwardness and then the whole skinny dipping shizzz xD I live for those moments I swear xD  
Yaku needs more love, tbh… Like, I feel like he gets severely overlooked in fanfiction and I feel subtle pressure to give him a short drabble series or something… At the beginning of making Haru as an OC I was torn between pairing her with Kuroo or Yaku, but Kuroo felt like the best match. Yaku got a BFF instead :P They're just like, very homely together xD  
I'm terrified of writing Karasuno… But, they will probably be in the next chapter and that scares the crap outta me xD They are all such unique characters that I'm just praying to do them justice… No worries, pressure me, that's the only way I'll sit down and type xD I'm a lazy arse that way…  
If you find help to dig you outta this fanfic, send me some too, I need it. I really do.  
thanks for all the support, I hope you have an awesome day! Cheers :D**

 **Bookdragonslayer:  
Thanks so much for the review! The swimming moment was totally impromptu… But, I'm glad that it came out good :D If you've ever got a chance to go night swimming, do it! I loved my experience of that in Egypt xD Kuroo and Haru seemed like the perfect two daredevils for it :)  
Cheers!**

 **Valen Goncalvez:  
I love you, I've told you that right? I seriously love you and your reviews :D  
I'm not promising another super quick update after this one, though… My exam in phonetics is next weekend and I suck at phonetics for some reason xD I need to hit the books more hahahaha  
I've got so many ideas for Oikawa it should be illegal… As for the KurooHaru (is that our ship name now? Or TetsuHaru? Idk which I like better hahahaha) I'm still deciding on the topic of the drabbles… I have a few ideas but I like to have a list of prompts before I get started :)  
Thanks! I'll do my best with the Karasuno bunch of crazies… I hope to do them justice :D  
Best!**

 **WinterEveOrchid:  
Welcome to reviews! Thanks so much for your input :D  
I **_**live**_ **off their chemistry like omg… I think this is one of the best OC pairings I've done so far, I'm so happy with them… Hope you enjoyed the update!**

 **AmIValid2:  
Omg I know you! I know this username…. Lemmie look…. You have a Kuroo story! I remember reading it :D I'm sorry I'm a silent reader xD I read on my cell and am often too lazy to comment… I'll have to re-read your thing, I remember thinking it was good and leaving it on my phone as an open tab but never getting to the review part xD I'm sorry!  
Thanks for the review and thanks so much for reading! I'm glad that you're enjoying the pairing :) Oh gosh, I'm so flattered that another author in the same section of HQ reviewed xD I'm giddy now xD  
Cheers!**

 **Potato-Faye:  
We need help. I shall provide more chapters to be really **_**unhelpful**_ **. Np xD  
thanks for the review!**

* * *

 **Omake:**

It wasn't a stretch to say that Yamamoto loved the beach. Sure enough, the sand, the sea and the sun were great. But, what was even better was the myriad of sea nymphs walking around the beach. They wore scandalously small amounts of clothing, showing off their skin and giving the boy a full view of heaven.

"Kyaa!" A girl screamed, running away to join her friends as the volleyball ace walked close to her, nostrils wide as he breathed deep. Heaven even smelled wondrously. Like tanning cream and soft, fruity perfume. He didn't care that his legs didn't properly work from all the training. It was worth the harsh walk to the beach if he could only see and smell this piece of joy during the after-lunch break.

* * *

 **That's all for now :D**


	11. Shyness and pride

**This is, unfortunately, going to be the last update for a while… I'm going to have to study a bit for exams now… I'll be looking forward to your thoughts!**

* * *

 **Chapter: Shyness and pride**

Haru woke up and rose in her familiar bed. She groggily grasped for her phone on the nightstand and looked at the time. It was early, still. Just a tad past four in the morning. With a sigh, Haru dropped back to her pillows, her back aching. She was sore all over, despite not having done any of the drills the boys had. It took her a few minutes to finally decide to leave the warm, soft confines of her bed.

The girl walked downstairs, the silence stifling, as always. She missed the boys from the volleyball club. They were loud, rowdy and somehow always around. She even missed Kuroo's bothersome presence. But, she couldn't have that at home. She knew her house well enough. Large, empty and _quiet_. Her house was always quiet.

Haru _hated_ the quiet. She despised the loneliness it brought and the feeling of smallness somehow. She always felt tiny in the silence. Quickly, the girl plugged her phone into the speakers, playing some of the popular kpop music Kuroo had had her listen to. It was upbeat and reminded her of the past few days. Yet, as she settled in her usual breakfast and homework routine, not even the catchy tunes could make the uneasiness and numbness go away. With another sigh, Haru stopped fighting the feeling. She embraced it, letting the numb grayness fill her. In the end, there was no escaping reality, she figured. The past few days had been simply a dream.

It was on autopilot that the girl went through her morning routine. Shower, uniform, books, then taming her hair. In the end, she settled for her usual tight bun. The walk to the train station was somehow boring. She felt like she should be doing more than just listening to her music and revising the topic for her first class, Japanese History. She didn't see Kuroo or Kenma on the train, even though her head kept going up, looking for the two friends. It was Akari, as usual, who broke her mood. That was one of the main reasons Haru loved her best friend so much.

"Harucchi," Akari bounded next to her, catching her arm and Haru interlocked their elbows, creating a weird intertwined set of limbs in between them. "How was your time alone with _Kuroo-sempai_?"

"We weren't exactly alone…" Haru grumbled, her mood still testy. "There were ten other people on the camp." Akari huffed, then reached over to mess with the other girl's stray curls, arranging them around her face.

"But, you were still able to see Kuroo-sempai more than usual." Her friend wasn't giving up. "Did anything interesting happen?" Haru looked down at her short friend, noting the overly eager expression on her face.

"I thought you didn't like Kuroo?" The two girls reached their classroom, going for their seats at the front. Akari shrugged, sitting down and tossing her bag onto the hook on the side.

"I changed my mind," Akari giggled. "I ship you two now." Haru groaned, her head dropping to her hands. "What, is he not into you or something? I thought that he was?"

"I don't know, Akari." Haru shook her head, laying down on her arms and looking at her friend from that position. "He's so… I can't figure him out…" Akari huffed again.

"Is it so unbelievable that a boy might like you?" She scolded, her hands pointing at Haru up and down. "You're gorgeous!"

"No, I'm not," the girl denied, rising from her desk. "I'm weird. I'm a half. That isn't conventional here." Akari giggled, her hand going up to cover her mouth in a ladylike motion.

"Not everyone likes conventional, Harucchi." She explained. "Sure, there are plenty of guys who will only date the ideal Japanese beauty, but you should give everyone the benefit of a doubt."

"I don't think I have the strength to do that…" Haru murmured, looking down at her tan arms. "You remember Ishikara, right? From first year?" Akari huffed at the name. How could either of them forget about that person… He had been quite the event for them both, after all.

"Ishikara is an idiot," Akari reasoned. "Not everyone is like him." But, Haru wasn't convinced. She could still recall the feeling as the boy laughed at her face, asking her if she really thought that he'd been interested in her and her weird culture. The mortification of walking back to class, a hickey on her neck and a sense of disappointment in her chest.

"But, I don't think I could handle something like that again," Haru sighed, her fingers twisting together. "I like Kuroo well enough, but I'm scared… I'm scared of the possibility of what happened repeating… And, what if whatever happens ruins my relationship with the team?"

"You're… too much, Harucchi." Akari looked at her with pure sympathy in her eyes. "But, I won't pressure you." The girl grinned at her then, a sly smile Haru knew all too well. "I still ship you two, though!"

* * *

Kuroo could tell. And, he wasn't the only one. Yaku had given him one of those asking looks during practice that afternoon, as if wondering if he'd done something to the girl. Kuroo had shook his head and then shrugged. He honestly didn't know what had happened. But, Haru had gone back into her shell. She'd sat the whole practice on the bench, only asking Nekomata and Naoi some questions about the strategies which the boys had used in their mock match against each other. She hadn't talked, hadn't scolded them, hadn't given them drills to do.

"Are you gonna?" Yaku asked Kuroo at the end of the practice, the two third-years picking up stray balls. The captain looked up, finding the manager on the bench as she made sure that all the bottles had sports drinks in them.

"I suppose I should." Kuroo agreed. "But, I don't know if it will help or just make her pull away more…" Yaku looked at the girl in question, too.

"Should I then?" He suggested.

"Ah, looks like we won't have to." Kuroo smirked, nodding at the girl with his head. Inuoka and Lev were already standing on either side of the girl, chattering at her. The two seniors stood on the side, watching the interaction. Their manager seemed to perk up a bit at being pestered by the two loudest members of the team, smiling as she talked with them. "I'll catch her tomorrow if she keeps going like this." Kuroo promised the short libero, a frown on his face.

* * *

In the end, he did have to seek out the second-year girl. She had been at their morning practice, but still sat on the bench silently, not really involved in their banter. So, the captain nodded to Yaku and ran after the girl after taking a quick shower when the practice was done.

"Oi, Haru!" He called out, making the girl stop and turn to him. She wasn't smiling and that put him on edge somehow. "Here," he handed her a packet from his hands which she accepted reluctantly. "Coach Nekomata ordered it before camp and it just arrived with our own jerseys. It was in the boys' locker room."

"Oh, thanks." Haru nodded, not looking at the inside of the package, but stuffing it next to her gym uniform in a separate bag from where she kept her books. "I need to get to class." She hesitated for a second, before turning away to walk towards the school building. Kuroo fell into step with her easily with his long strides, smirking.

"I'll walk you." He answered her questioning look.

"There's no need, sempai."

"Are we back to that?" Kuroo groaned, his hand going to his hair to push it back. It immediately resumed its previous position of a bedhead. "What's wrong, Haru? Something happen?" The girl shook her head.

"Nothing?" Did she really think that he would buy that? Kuroo frowned, inspecting her blank poker face.

"Are you down because of something at school?" He pushed. "Something about the team? Family?" He was over the line and they both knew it. Haru looked up at him with a bit of fire in his eyes and he hoped that he would get yelled at. A reaction like that would've been good. Any reaction would've been good.

"I'm fine?" No reaction. That was bad. Kuroo decided to switch up his tactics instead. He swung an arm around her shoulders, pulling her in close.

"Alright," the boy grinned. "Say, I got a call to help out a friend from another school after practice today. Do you want to stay behind too and help us with the stray balls?" Haru hummed, thinking.

"If we don't have too much homework, I could." Her hand rose to grasp his and pull it off her shoulders. She moved to the side, putting distance between them.

"Oya, not a fan of team spirit?" If there was one thing Kuroo was good at, it was annoying people. And, he had decided already that he had to go for the 'annoy or go home' strategy with the girl. There was nothing else he _could_ do. Except maybe unleash Bokuto on her. Which, she had unknowingly agreed to already.

"There's no team spirit in harassment, sempai." The girl replied in an even tone.

"Eh?" Kuroo looked shocked. "Yamamoto will be devastated, then." At that, he managed to get a giggle out of her, which he was satisfied with. He continued doing his best to jump between bugging her and goofing off all the way to her classroom.

* * *

Haru decided that Bokuro Kotaro was like the sun. Like a bright, summer sun. Being exposed to his presence for too long gave her a mild headache and she just wanted to run and hide. What had surprised her the most was Kuroo, though. His attitude, usually calm and just a tad annoying, had gone completely insane in the Fukurodani ace's presence. It was like they were in a world of their own, some insane dimension, which left her with the rather polite Akaashi, the setter of the other school. She liked him, she'd found out. He was able to calm the two idiots down when they got to be too much. But, while Bokuto surely was a tad ridiculous, he was also insane in another sense.

"Awh, darn!" The ace yelled out as Kuroo blocked yet another one of his straights. The ball, however, hit the ground with immense force, bouncing off to the bleachers. Haru followed the path with her mouth open. The force he had was insane.

"Why aren't you doing any crosses, stupid owl?" The Nekoma captain asked, grinning at his victory. Bokuto's hands rose to mess up his hair, the third-year groaning in frustration.

"I did so many straights I forgot how to do a cross!" Yes, Bokuto Kotaro was absolutely ridiculous. Haru watched as Kuroo rounded up the three players for another shot, Akaashi setting to the ace and the middle blocker shutting out yet another straight. Bokuto fell to his knees, shouting and crying out in despair.

"I'm so sorry about them." Akaashi told her with a small bow then they finally called a break, going for some water. Haru waved her hands in front of her, shaking her head.

"No, no, it's alright," she told the setter. "I'm happy to observe." She got a nod in response as Kuroo and Bokuto squabbled like children while drinking water. "Is he always like this?" Akaashi nodded. "How do you survive?"

"Barely." The setter replied and Haru felt for him instantly.

* * *

"Haru, are you free this weekend?" Satoshi asked from the other room as Haru was quickly packing their equipment. Her mood had considerably lightened once Wednesday had rolled around, along with her part-time work.

"Mmmm maybe," the girl counted all the screws that they needed to set up the stationary cameras, as they'd forgotten some the last time they'd done a photoshoot. "I need to check with Nekomata-sensei or Kuroo is we have any games this weekend."

"Oooohoho, Kuroo?" Satoshi instantly appeared in the doorway, smirking at her. "Just Kuroo? No sempai? No honorifics?" Haru pursed her lips at her careless slip-up. Satoshi was well-known at the shop for being an extreme busybody regarding romance. He had set up one too many people together, not always for a good outcome, either.

"It's too long to say in-game when I yell at him." Haru defended weakly, grabbing the equipment and swinging bags over both of her shoulders. Satoshi nodded with a sly smirk, going back into the little room in the back to grab his gear. Haru walked out of the small business, easily finding Satoshi's expensive car parked rather illegally. He was always such a daredevil when it came to the police and his vehicle. She grinned, walking to the blue machine. It was a sleek model, rather fashionable in her own, not so knowledgeable, opinion. The car unlocked, Satoshi walking up behind her.

"Let's pack up." He opened the door for her and Haru started stacking the equipment in a familiar routine they had developed. They were already a well-practiced team, knowing what went where in order for Satoshi's sharp turns not to jostle the sensitive pieces. "All set?" He asked when she pulled back finally, huffing from the effort.

"Yes," The girl nodded, walking around the car and sliding into the passenger seat. "Who are we photographing that we need this much equipment?" Haru asked once Satoshi slid into the driver's seat, closing the door.

"Oh, we got a nice gig this time," he told her, starting the car and pulling out of parking easily. "We're gonna go take some pictures of models for a magazine." Haru grinned wide. Finally, they had a really nice assignment.

* * *

Haru was, rather unlike herself, late. She jumped off the train and sprinted for the other station where she would meet the team in order to head to Miyagi. After the photoshoot she and Satoshi had done the previous day, she was in high spirits and couldn't stop grinning to herself. Their boss had been asked to send some photographers to do a series of photos for a calendar of an infamous dance group. The models had been great, posing and listening to their advice at all times. All in all, the duo had gotten numerous great shots. In the end, they had even instructed the group to dance for them, getting motion pictures for the calendar front. Unfortunately, Haru had had to leave the shoot at that. With her new duties as a manager, she couldn't afford to work overtime the next day and see the final product. Satoshi had promised to send her the pictures, though.

One of the girls from the group had become fast friends with Haru, interested in her time in school and hobby as a photographer. They had exchanged numbers and promised to hang out as soon as possible. The young woman had also been eager to give Haru a makeover, which had made the second-year laugh, but accept. She didn't have many female friends, so she wouldn't object to that.

Haru made it to the station just as the train stopped, opening its doors. She spotted Kuroo's relieved expression as she sprinted across the platform and threw herself onto the train.

"Cutting it close?" The third-year asked, watching her with a smug expression as she struggled to catch her breath.

"Just a tad." Haru grinned, fingers coming up to show a small amount. The train moved, making the girl stumble and almost fall over. Kuroo reached out and caught her, long fingers wrapping around her forearms.

"You alright?" He asked, eyebrow rising. Haru straightened out, nodding. Then, she gave him a bright smile and let go of his arms, leaving his grasp. Soon enough, she was sitting next to Yaku and across from Kenma, chattering on about some new set-up she wanted them to try. Kuroo sighed, realizing that he'd been utterly rejected, but wandered over to a free seat next to Fukunaga and plopped down. As long as Haru was talking and smiling, he didn't care that he had been friend-zoned.

* * *

"Where's Kenma?" Haru asked, looking around the small group gathered in front of the Tsukinokizawa High School. At her words, the other team members also started looking around, trying to find the setter.

"He's gone…" Yaku groaned, his palm hitting his forehead in frustration.

"He couldn't have gotten too far." Kuroo calmed the situation down, taking out his cellphone. "I'll call him." He moved from the group, calling a familiar number. Haru walked up to him, catching the end of the conversation. She was looking up at him, worried, when he turned to her. "He realized he got lost somewhere after that intersection with the flower shop on the left."

"I'll go pick him up." Haru nodded, turning to Yaku. "Can you take care of my stuff?" She handed him her bag when he nodded and began walking the way they'd come from.

"I'll come with." Kuroo fell into step with her easily, smiling. "It's not safe for a young girl to wander around an unfamiliar neighborhood alone."

"Who are you, my dad?" Haru laughed at that, the giggles intensifying once Kuroo shrugged soundlessly. They walked in companionable silence for a while. Soon, the flower shop came into view. Kuroo noticed how Haru glanced at the flowers with almost desire on her face as she passed them, taking a moment to smell the sweet aroma coming from the plants.

"Oh, what a handsome couple you two make!" An old woman's voice, crackling almost, came from the flower shop door. Kuroo glanced up from the flowers to see an elderly lady standing there in a yukata, red roses in her hands. She was looking at the duo, smiling happily.

"Ah-no-we're-no-ah-" Haru was blushing madly, waving her hands, words not able to form in her mouth as she tried to tell the lady that they weren't a couple.

"Don't mind her, she's shy," Kuroo grinned, pulling the girl in a hug to his body with one arm. "We look pretty cute together, don't we?" He could swear that he saw Haru's head explode on his shoulder, the heat from her face warm on his skin, even through the jersey.

"Yes, yes, so nice to see young people so happy together." The shopkeeper nodded while she talked, still grinning despite the crazy expression Haru had on her face. "Would you like to get some flowers for your girlfriend, young man?"

"Of course!" Kuroo was smiling that same smile right back at the woman, pulling Haru along into the flower shop after the lady entered it. The girl was doing some weird king of a noddle dance against his body, trying to protest, mentioning Kenma in whispers, but Kuroo just turned to her with his usual grin. "What kind of flowers do you like, Haru?"

"Any is fine…" she trailed off, her eyes rising to meet Kuroo's grinning face. "But, you really don't need to do this, Kuroo-semp-"

"It's fine, it's fine." He turned to the side, looking at the fresh flowers in numerous vases.

"She sure seems like a lady who would love a rose or a sakura blossom bouquet." The old lady was on board and Kuroo loved every second of it.

"Perhaps a red rose?" Kuroo asked, turning to the blushing Haru who had seemed to have completely blown her fuse, not even protesting anymore. She mumbled something and he leaned down to hear it, but didn't manage to catch it. "What was that?"

"I said, I like the amaryllis." The look she gave him, from beneath her eyelashes, should've been illegal. Kuroo managed to keep his grin on and his brain working.

"How appropriate," he laughed.

"Shyness and pride." The shopkeeper nodded, going to the vase which held the amaryllis flowers. She picked out a single red one and went to the small counter at the back, arranging the stem to be leafless and then wrapping it in crinkly, shimmering white paper for easier handling. "Here you go." She handed the flower to Haru as Kuroo paid for it, thanking the lady. Then, he led the still speechless and blushing girl out of the shop with a bright smile.

"I'll go left here and call you if I find Kenma, alright?" The captain didn't let the girl recover, or else she might've gone back to the shop in order to return the flower. Or, even, she could've done something more drastic. He wasn't willing to take that chance and made a quick escape after waving to the blushing girl. Kuroo saw that she shakily turned, going down the opposite street from the one he'd chosen. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself. She truly was adorable.

It didn't take long for Kuroo to find Kenma, sitting on a small cement wall next to the road, talking to another boy. He called out to the setter, making him pack the game he'd been playing and walk over. Kuroo was a tad surprised when Kenma took the time to turn around and say goodbye to the short boy he'd been chatting with.

"Making friends?" Kuroo asked once they were out of hearing range of the stranger.

"He's from Karasuno." The setter spoke quietly. "Shōyō is a middle blocker."

"With that height?" Kuroo asked, shocked. The boy was too short to block properly, in his opinion. He had to have some other function. Kenma just hummed and walked. Kuroo let him stay quiet, recognizing that there was something churning in that always working overtime brain. The third-year took out his cellphone, sending Haru a text to meet at the crossroads, as he'd found the lost kitten. She didn't reply, but was waiting for them when they reached the intersection. Kuroo couldn't help the small sense of achievement when he saw that she was still clutching the flower in her hands. It looked nice in contrast with her tan skin, the red color standing out.

"Are you alright, Kenma?" Haru asked as soon as the two boys joined her. "Please be careful when walking in an unfamiliar city, who knows what could happen." Kuroo guffawed into his hand.

"That's what I said to him, too!" The captain told her, finding her blushing yet again and avoiding his eyes.

"I'll be careful next time." Kenma piped up in his usual low tone, ending the squabble before it could begin. The trio began walking up the road, towards Tsukinokizawa High. It was after a few minutes that Kenma finally spoke again, breaking the silence. "Nice flower, Haru." The girl blushed again, looking down at her feet.

"Thanks." Kuroo couldn't help but laugh, making Haru burst into giggles at his odd chuckle. Kenma huffed, not too happy to be trapped between the two of them. The Nekoma boys were still waiting in front of the building when they reached it, talking amongst themselves. Inuoka saw them first, waving.

"You found him!" The first year called out. "Nice, Kuroo-san, Haru!"

"The power of youth was with us." Kuroo shrugged, grinning. Yaku looked over, frowning.

"Shut up, Kuroo." The libero said in a flat tone, making the team chuckle.

"Haru, what's with the flower?" Lev asked, looking at the girl's hands.

"It-it's nothing!" The girl yelled out, speed-walking to grab her bag from Yaku. "Are we going to play or what?" The team followed her, laughing at her red face shamelessly.

The match against Tsukinokizawa High was a relatively easy one. Kenma had taken point on giving instructions, having had the chance to figure out the opponent team during the first half of the set. He'd told Kuroo how, where and when to block and Fukunaga where to move in order for Yaku to pick up the balls with ease. The setter had, himself, scored a number of points with ball dumps which were so clean so that the other team couldn't anticipate them and pick them up. In the end, the match was over in two sets in an overwhelming victory for Nekoma. Tsukinokizawa didn't request another play, so the boys got ready to leave for their hotel.

"Any thoughts about Karasuno?" Kuroo asked Kenma as they got their key, rooming together as always. The setter looked up from his game, his eyes pensive.

"They seem interesting."

* * *

 **This took surprisingly a short time to write. I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I did!**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **Kimikokimono:  
I was just about to upload this when your review arrived, I just had to stop myself and answer first!  
I'm going to go for the gold soon, I promise! Like, I have so many fluffy ideas for these two… Smut… I won't even mention xD I'm hopeless. I'm sorry xD  
Nooo let me see the excitement pleaseee xD show me the caps haahahaha  
Hope you enjoyed, even though this chapter wasn't as Tetsu/Haru filled as the others :P I was watching a clip about Oikawa and got depressed xD I always feel sympathetic for him somehow…  
Cheers! **

**Yesitsjennifer:  
Welcome back! I'm so happy to see you chatting again :D  
I'm glad that you've enjoyed the new chapters so far :)  
No worries, take your time with reading :D I know life gets busy… I've been in a bit of a writing slump, then entered college as an English major (switched majors last year) and I'm still working, it's killing me xD I hope you have a great Thanksgiving! (I'm flattered that you thought of my story while re-watching the show!)  
Oh gosh, rumors. I hate rumors. I swear I had a bunch of them spread around school about me back in senior year and it was the **_**worst**_ **feeling in the world… Like, the control you have over them is 0 and everyone just believes them without thinking. But, they were a good drama point that I just had to add to give some conflict :P I hope that the reason for all the trouble lived up to expectations? Poor Megumi simply likes Kuroo xD  
Haru was definitely inspired by Rika a bit! I just love Rika too much, to be honest… I felt like Nekoma needed a bit of a boost in the actual medical knowledge department, so I provided that. I'm glad that you like my choices :D  
Gosh, most OCs I've seen made manager for Nekoma are just there for the boys… I needed some change! Switch it up people, please! Outside the box if you go with the cliché! xD  
No worries, I'll always answer questions :D My mother is certified in first aid and she grilled me in it when I was younger. However, I don't have a certificate myself. I made sure to look up the details of checking for a concussion to make sure that I was getting that right (research is like my OCD when writing). I hope I got it all right? If not, do let me know and I will go back and do some correcting :)  
I hope it's alright, I'm gonna answer both reviews together here :D  
I kinda promised myself that the 10** **th** **chapter would be named after the whole fic, when Haru finally gets into the right mindset with the team and clicks into place. It feels like it managed to work out well :D  
Tora vs Tanaka is coming in the next chapter! I'm gonna do my best! :D Writing Karasuno scares me hahahhaha  
All my best!**

 **Bookdragonslayer:  
Kuroo isn't as smooth as he thinks he is hahahhaha Haru is definitely on edge about his bs xD As for her being oblivious or embarrassed, I think she's more weary of his motives? I hope this chapter gives you a bit more insight into that :)  
Cheers! **

**AmIValid2:  
Thanks for the review! Awwwww I love your comments, too, they make me so happy xD  
I feel that so bad. Like, so bad. I want to review, but I always get into this beta-reader mode and want to give good constructive criticism, so I end up leaving it, leaving it, leaving it and then forgetting to do it. Once in a while, though, I leave those reviews with bullet points and all xD  
Thanks omg I'm blushing! It's the best praise when you get it from another author xD It makes you so happy, right? I'm glad that you enjoy reading this story! I'm going to do my best to live up to expectations :D  
Like, I'm so weird when I'm thinking up scenes, I have to be honest. I talk to myself in different voices. Sometimes, I'll do it in English, sometimes in Japanese. It's really bad xD My friends are all making fun of me for it xD But, I think it helps make the conversation flow and keeps the characters IC. I hope this helps you too, when you write!  
Skinny dipping is one of my top 5 scenes with Haru and Kuroo xD I couldn't help myself… I need them to get steamier omg. I'm obsessing over this ship xD  
I hope you enjoyed the new chapter!**

* * *

 **Omake:**

Haru shakily turned to the side, taking a few steps up the street opposite of the one Kuroo had chosen. The flower in her hands was like a hot potato. She looked down at it, taking another step, then stopping. Why had he gotten her the flower? Was this some weird flirting technique of his? She took a few steps again. Or was he making fun of her? Haru stopped, head falling down a bit as she sighed. As usual, she couldn't figure out the weird Nekoma captain. He was too much for her. Completely out of her league. The process continued as she mulled over the facts and possibilities.

"Crap!" Haru yelled out, jumping in her spot. "Kenma!" Then she rushed up the street. She didn't get even a few meters ahead before her phone buzzed in her pocket. Haru took it out, noticing a text from Kuroo. He'd found the setter.

"Urgh." Haru groaned, turning to walk back to the intersection. She hadn't even gone so far as to lose sight of the thrice-cursed flower shop.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed!**

 **P.S: Is anyone's fanfiction site acting up? Mine keeps showing me black patches in places where text is supposed to be…**

 **P.S.S: It's almost one am and I need to be up in a few hours to go to my Japanese class… I'm crying and want to write even more… Help… please…**


	12. Practice Battle at the Garbage Dump

**I know I promised not to… But I took breaks in between studying and this was done before I knew it… Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 12: Practice Battle at the Garbage Dump**

Two teams lined up, facing each other in front of the local gym. Haru looked them over from the side, comparing. While overall height was almost similar, there were many differences. The Karasuno team somehow seemed more serious, and kind of scary. Compared to their previous opponent, they looked stronger. Then, a short boy with bright colored hair yelled out, pointing at Kenma.

"You!" He shouted, eyes wide. The coach called out for the team to enter the gym, but the shorty ran after Kenma, calling him by name. Haru stood on the sidelines, waiting to see if she would have to interfere. However, Kenma seemed rather comfortable with the loud, she determined, first-year.

"Hey, hey!" Yamamoto was the one to break up the conversation, though, the Karasuno baldie facing him with a similar, intent on intimidation attitude. The words 'city boy' that oddly sounded like 'shitty boy' had Haru in giggles soon enough.

"I'm sorry about them," Haru turned to find a girl standing there, speaking in a soft, polite tone. She wore glasses and had a rather attractive beauty mark on the side of her mouth. She was gorgeous, in short. Instantly, Haru felt her self-esteem plummet.

"It's alright." She smiled, reassuring the girl. The beautiful manager offered her a polite nod, before heading into the gym. Wordlessly, Haru followed. The girl's presence, though, brought absolute havoc to the Nekoma team. Yamamoto was crying, Inuoka and Shibayama were celebrating and Kai seemed rooted to the spot in shock.

"We're looking forward to it, too." The words had Haru looking over to the two captains shaking hands after she'd entered the gym, too. She immediately noticed Kuroo's overly bright smile and rushed over, tapping him on the shoulder. The third-year, though, didn't let go of the other boy's hand.

"Stop that," Haru whispered, her hand going to break apart the too-strong grip the two third-years had on each other. "I'm sorry." She bowed to the Karasuno captain, who offered her a smile.

"It's nothing, please don't worry about it." Then he wandered away to his teammates. Kuroo turned to her, an unreadable expression on his face.

"That guy is the crafty type," the third-year told her. "Be careful."

"Of what exactly?!" Haru startled as the captain left her standing there alone. She walked away from the middle of the gym with a shake of her head, going for the bench and settling into her usual duties. The manager of Karasuno met her at the outside sink, also filling the water bottles for her team.

"Have you been a manager for long?" Haru asked, making the girl nod. "Oh, you must be a third-year, sorry, I've been talking informally with you."

"It's alright," the girl had a very soft tone whenever she spoke, making Haru feel awkward for being so loud. "Shimizu Kiyoko." Oh, that's her name? Haru smiled, nodding.

"Sakurano Chiharu, I go by Haru." The girl mutely nodded, and they walked back to the gym, bottles in hands. Instantly, Yamamoto and the bald boy from Karasuno were next to them.

"Two Goddesses!" Taketora seemed to have reached his limits, offering shaky hands to help her with the bottles. "Heaven!" Haru giggled, already used to his antics. She handed over some of her cargo, the boy eagerly accepting.

"Your manager looks really exotic, is she half?" Haru heard the Karasuno boy ask as the two girls began arranging the bottles on the benches, next to the towels.

"Half Cuban," Yamamoto answered with a proud nod. Haru shook her head, tuning out the conversation and focusing on her task instead. Soon enough, Nekomata called for the team to round up and assemble at the court line. The match was about to start. Haru smiled when she saw that Kenma was talking with the short boy from Karasuno on his own. Yet, she was surprised to find him at the position of a middle blocker. Inuoka and Yaku had mostly familiarized her with different roles, so she knew that all of the vanguards were supposed to be tall. However, the reasons behind the position were proven in the first few seconds of the game.

Kenma served, and the ball got returned with an impossibly quick shot from the short boy. Haru jumped up from the bench, mouth open and eyes wide. The boy had had his eyes closed while hitting the ball, not to even mention the height of his jump.

"What the-" she murmured, looking at the small boy.

"Uwah!" Shibayama exclaimed from next to her, in shock. "What was that? That's fast!" Haru nodded, completely focused on the match. Their team also seemed startled by the action, making the manager worry about how they would counter it. But, the look on Kenma's face told her that they would be alright. He was thinking, processing, as always.

From the small bits of information Shibayama gave her as the match progressed, Haru found out that Karasuno was a rather capable team. Their libero, a short boy with a dyed streak of hair, was amazingly good. The spikers had power and precision. And, most of all, their setter was extremely accurate in his tosses. He was a genius, Nekomata confirmed.

The rally continued, Karasuno scoring against them heavily. Yaku was doing his best, picking up as many balls as he could, but he couldn't be in all places at once, so he missed quite a few shots. The super quick attacks which the short middle blocker did scored quite a few points. Finally, Nekomata broke the exchange physically, calling a time out.

"Ah, water," Haru rushed to give all the players their bottles, making certain that they got their towels, as well. So far, Yaku seemed the only one breathing a tad hard, the rest of the team letting Kenma do his magic before they would counter attack. The team discussed a strategy on the sidelines as she went around, collecting the water bottles when they were done.

"Number nine and ten are, in a manner of speaking, an oni and his iron club," Nekomata told the boys. "For starters, we steal the oni's iron club." The coach instructed them, making the boys nod. Kenma gave final thoughts on the best way to deal with the attacks, moving the blockers to one side only and letting Inuoka do the hard work of keeping up with number 10. They all turned to Haru, who found herself flustered at the attention.

"Do your best." The girl encouraged, making the team cheer before returning to the game.

"Inuoka, follow number ten closely," the girl heard Kenma instruct as the whistle blew, the ball flying up. Instantly, Haru noticed the change. With their blockers on one side, the small number ten kept running to the free side, attempting to spike from there. But, Inuoka didn't let him do so easily. He kept following, making the space from where the boy could score smaller and smaller. Yaku, on the other hand, was right behind him, picking up the balls which managed to fly over to the Nekoma side. Yet, Karasuno still managed to score. Kenma and Yamamoto proved that they could both do some sneaky attacks, pulling back on the power in order to force their opponents to rush forward and dig for balls, receiving them awkwardly when they could.

"Wow, he's really good," Haru murmured, amazed when the Karasuno setter called for a toss, hitting it into the Nekoma court side with pinpoint precision. She giggled when the boy turned to number nine, his partner, lecturing him about tosses and how to hit them.

"We may lose the first set." Shibayama said from his seat next to her, watching as the other Karasuno members also proved useful. The tall blonde with glasses switched up his attacks, also, hitting soft and hard balls and making Yaku and Fukunaga run all over the place to try and catch the shots. But, Haru wasn't too worried about him. She could see Kenma watching, deducing, mapping out the best course he could send the balls on. He was figuring out how to play the game with these new characters he'd been given. If Kuroo's smirk was anything to go by, and it usually was, Kenma was close to figuring out the strategy to this game.

"He's a superb strategist, don't you think?" Nekomata asked her, making Haru look over to the coach.

"Kenma?" She asked, looking at the court and the setter, whose eyes kept following one player after another. "He's amazing."

"He had quite a few problems after joining the team, though," Nekomata sighed. "He's not very athletic, but he has a good head on his shoulders. I heard that the previous coach, while I wasn't well enough to be here, didn't let him play."

"Ah, I heard about that," The previous few years Nekomata hadn't been there, with the team, at all times. Due to heart problems the old man had had to step down at times, letting their PE teacher do most of the coaching. "The sempais gave him quite a bit of trouble." Kenma had been forced to sit on the bench, watching as their team lost, the older boys not wanting to hear his strategies.

"A pity, if you ask me," Nekomata nodded. "They were wasting his potential." Haru nodded.

"I hope Teshiro is watching and learning," she mused, eyes going to the score board where their spare setter was standing. "He will soon need to do that, after all."

"Indeed, we will need to make some changes to the team next year," Nekomata hummed. "Perhaps we could do a two-setter strategy?"

"Perhaps." The points kept rolling. Haru couldn't help but watch Kuroo as he dived for balls, spiked and connected with his teammates in any way they needed him to. He truly was an all-rounder, in a sense.

"All we need to do is keep connecting," the coach said to the girl, smiling. Haru couldn't help but think back to the team's motto which Kuroo reminded them of before every game. _We're like the blood in our veins. We must flow without stopping. Keep the oxygen moving and our minds working._ While embarrassing the first time, it made sense then, to her. It was all about the defense. It was all about cooperation. Kenma's abilities could shine only if the team supported him. Finally, they pulled ahead, with the score of 24-22.

"They really are amazing," Haru gasped as the whistle sounded, Inuoka blocking the short number ten's spike with ease. "They've cleared the level." She nodded, hopping up to get the water bottles for the team.

"Now that the oni doesn't have his club," Nekomata told the boys after they all gather around the group on the bench. "Show them we have some attack power, too."

"Osu!" The boys yelled out, bowing, and heading back into the game for the second set. Again, points racked up, this time for their side. Inuoka kept shutting down the small vanguard, denying him spike after spike. Haru looked over to the Karasuno coach, wondering what he was thinking. If it had been her, there, she would've switched the boy out, trying a different attacking pattern.

"He needs a solution," Nekomata caught her looking.

"Eh?" Haru asked.

"This is a practice match and Ukai needs a solution for that quick being stopped in an official match." The coach explained. "He's sacrificing this game for a victory in the long run. He needs that genius setter and the small one to figure out a way to evade this situation in an official match."

"Ah, I see," the girl nodded, eyes going back to their team. "That's smart thinking."

"Indeed," Nekomata replied. "I like what you did with them during the training camp, too." Haru blushed at the praise. "They move more easily now, because of all the practice they did on the sand and in the mountains. And their stamina is good. I was worried about that."

"We will have to keep them running, though." Nekomata nodded, making Shibayama drop his head into his hands.

"Please, don't leave us alone with her again." The coach and the manager laughed at his fears.

"Oh, that shorty is something!" Nekomata made Haru look over to the Karasuno side again. True enough, despite being blocked so many times, which would discourage any spiker, the small number ten was smiling. "He's smiling!" Nekomata laughed, tapping his leg. "I quite like Karasuno this year, they have guts."

"Is that good or bad, Nekomata-sensei?" Haru giggled at the obvious passion the old man had for volleyball.

"Both." The coach nodded contently to himself. Then, the Karasuno side called for a time out. Haru looked over at their bench, finding the coach asking something of the setter.

"Haru, water." Kuroo's voice made her refocus on her own team, rushing to give them the bottles. "You could always give it mouth to mouth, though." Yamamoto almost died at those words.

"That's sexual harassment, sempai." She didn't even blush, but gave Kuroo a cold stare and an even tone.

"My heart just went cold." The captain gripped his match jersey just where his heart was, rather dramatically. Yet, the team atmosphere went from tired to laughing, which had probably been the third-year's goal.

The points kept rolling. Haru noticed a change immediately, though. There was something different in the way the number nine and ten worked on the Karasuno team. The tosses seemed slower, somehow. Still, the small vanguard struggled to get the ball across the net or past the blocks.

"Is there something different in their strategy, sensei?" She asked the coach. He nodded with a hum.

"They've switched from direct to indirect delivery," the old man explained. "That means that the sharp, pinpoint tosses which the setter has been giving number ten so far have been replaced with a softer, floatier ball."

"Oh, to give him time to switch the course?"

"Indeed." Nekomata smiled, looking over to the other bench. "Ukai junior isn't that bad of a coach." He mused. Haru had found out that Ukai, the original Karasuno coach, was quite the famous person in his time. He had played volleyball, then coached it, for years. His training methods and policy of a team being a coherent unit working together had made him appear on TV and in a number of newspaper articles. He was famous for his rivalry with both Nekoma and Shiratorizawa, the other powerhouse and the current reigning champion in Miyagi.

"Time out!" Naoi called from his spot as the referee, the Nekoma boys walking over. Haru distributed towels again, giving praise to Inuoka and Yaku. She ruffled Kenma's hair, which he instantly began smoothing down, and grinned at Kuroo and Fukunaga, who smiled and nodded back. Their team was in good shape, having a double of Karasuno's points. As the whistle rang out again, signaling the end of the time out, Haru looked at the Karasuno bench. The team seemed in high spirits, despite the score.

"They seem happy." She commented with a smile.

"Team mood is essential in any sport," Nekomata told her. "If just one person gets frustrated or depressed, the cogs of the machine will fall out of place. It is fatal for that to happen in a match." Shibayama nodded along.

"We had that happen to us in a game before," the libero explained. "It was just before you joined us, Haru. Yaku-sempai twisted his ankle in an odd way, and had to sit on the bench for the remainder of the practice game. I didn't manage to stay focused and keep my spirits up and we lost the game because of it." He seemed sad about that past event, making Haru reach over and ruffle his hair.

"You've learnt from it, right?" The boy nodded. "That's all that matters." He gave her a bright smile. Haru looked back at the match, just in time to see the small number ten toss the ball into an out.

"Oh, he's doing good," Nekomata said, grinning.

"How so?" The girl asked, eyes going to the Karasuno side. She noticed that their own side was amazed by what had just been done, but she didn't understand what had happened. "It was an out?"

"But, it was a complete change of course, in order to evade the block, midair." Nekomata told her, making her nod. The points kept rolling, both teams surprisingly fired up to battle each other. It was like a showdown in similar skills, Haru mused. Between Inuoka and number ten in aerial combat. Yamamoto and the loud baldie in racking up points. Kai and the Karasuno captain in saving difficult stray balls. Kenma and the tall blonde with glasses had their own moment of trying to outthink one another. Yaku and the loud libero from the other team were having their own match of picking up balls that seemed impossible to save.

"Once that little number ten gets a nice set of solid skills, things will change," Nekomata told the group on the bench. "They will cease to be an oni and his iron club and become a pair of oni."

"A pair…" Shibayama murmured, his face paling. "of oni…" he shivered, looking over at their manager. "I don't ever want to see another pair of oni, sensei." Nekomata and Haru laughed. The girl jumped up in her seat as the small number ten completely missed a receive, the ball hitting him in the head instead. However, he didn't stop, calling for a toss almost immediately after the exchange. The person who got it, however, was the baldie, who smashed the ball into the block, making it bounce towards the bleachers. Haru sat back down slowly. She made a mental note to check both teams for injuries after the match was done.

Nekomata commented how it was good to have this match. The two teams were quickly becoming rivals in every sense of the word, pushing each player to do their absolute best on the court. They were evolving, competing and absolutely astonishing the spectators. One more, one more, the boys kept calling for balls.

Haru saw the rotation move, bringing Kuroo against the small number ten. She spotted the captain saying something to the boy, which made the Karasuno middle blocker explode. Finally, the number nine setter dragged him away from the net.

"Oh, gosh, does he ever stop?" Haru hit her forehead with her palm in exasperation.

"Kuroo-sempai is the master of provocation." Shibayama chuckled. "It's a good thing, though. Messes up the dynamics of the other team." However, Kuroo's provocation proved fruitless as the Karasuno weirdo duo did their super quick set-up, leaving the captain unable to react. Kuroo apologized to his teammates, but Haru could see that his inability to counter it, while Inuoka had, was making him annoyed. That didn't seem to faze him, in fact, it fueled him more, from what Haru could tell. Their players got all jumbled up, all spikers jumping as if to hit the ball, finally Fukunaga getting it from the back and slamming it into number ten's face without problems. Karasuno's blockers had fallen for their feint, the strategy working. Haru made another mental note to _definitely_ check that small boy for a concussion.

"Woah!" The girl jumped up form her seat, watching as Kuroo racked up points, doing one trick after another at the net. They reached 20 points with the captain shining as a vanguard.

"He's good at the net, isn't he?" Nekomata asked the girl who slowly lowered herself back into her seat. Haru nodded. She'd seen Kuroo play before, in practice matches, but none of them hade made him pull out all of these tricks so seamlessly. "Once he does an A quick. Then, he switches it up with a timing change. And that grin of his always keeps the opponent wondering. I'm waiting for some big team to scout him by the end of the year."

"He's that good?" Haru asked.

"Better," Nekomata confirmed. But then, the coach looked at the Karasuno bench, seeing their own teacher fretting and grinned, making the younger man flustered and annoyed. "He's panicking, he's panicking!" The coach chuckled. However, the younger man didn't stay in his panicked mode. He stood from the bench, yelling to the players, encouraging them to move, to make up for mistakes to keep on attacking.

And, the girl instantly saw the change. It was like the coach had released a bunch of villainous, hungry ravens on Nekoma. The spikers moved quicker, attacking. The blockers were faster in getting their hands into position, stopping the less experienced first and second years with ease. The point gap was slowly closing and Haru found her hands in fists.

"It's time for a time out, I guess." Nekomata said, deciding to break the Karasuno momentum physically. Haru jumped up, going for the water bottles. They were almost empty, but she still handed them to the boys and after they gave them back, she didn't replace them on the bench. It was time to go for a refill. Haru left while the coach was still talking to the team, telling them not to rush anything, despite their opponent speeding up their own pace.

Haru walked over to the sink, placing the bottles down and emptying them, rinsing them out, then refilling. She had made each of the boys sign their own name on the sports drink container in a waterproof marker. As she filled each bottle, the girl inspected the kanji they had written. Yamamoto had a bit of a messy writing, the edge of his first name slipping off to the side awkwardly. Kai's was surprisingly neat, the letters perfect, as if printed. Her repetitive motions stopped at Kuroo's water bottle. She traced the kanji of his first name slowly. Two letters were used to write it, the first meaning iron and the second one being a bit more flexible. She knew that it could be translated as serene, melodious or even cheerful. Haru's mind wandered to what her mother had told her about a number in a person's name and how it gave them balance in life. She wondered if Kuroo's name had balance. Her own was supposed to have it, yet she felt completely out of control in her own mind sometimes. Perhaps, numbers had nothing to do with it.

"Crap!" Haru quickly screwed Kuroo's water bottle shut and rushed to grab the others as well, running back into the gym. She entered to see the ball flying high as Yaku received it, giving her just enough time to glance at the score, 23-24. If Karasuno scored, it would be a deuce. Haru didn't know for how long she stood at the gym door, unable to move, simply watching the amazing rally. The two teams were fighting fiercely for the single point. Finally, Kenma dived to hit a rather shaky ball, able to score the last point of the game. Instantly, there was rejoicing and yelling and generally havoc.

Haru smiled, walking over to the bench and placing the bottles down. She spotted Shibayama running to the group which had been playing fiercely to rejoice with them. Then, just as she was done arranging the water bottles, there was a call form the Karasuno side of the court.

"One more time!" The small number ten asked, looking at the Nekoma team. Haru spotted Kuroo's disbelieving expression and Kenma's almost annoyed one. "Please, one more game!" Hinata Shōyō, Haru reminded herself of the name of the small middle blocker from what Kenma had told them. She rather liked the boy and his enthusiasm. He seemed like an optimistic young thing, the kind of people which Haru liked being around.

"Yeah, I'd like that." Nekomata answered for their team, making the boys laugh or give him looks of desperation, in Kenma's case. "A practice match is there so that we can say 'once more'." And, Haru sat down without being able to keep a smile off her face, watching as the teams got ready to play yet another long game. She kept her clipboard in her hands, noting down the points, mistakes their side made and jotting down small scribbles as to what they could do to ensure another victory. They played six sets in total, Nekoma winning every game. In the end, Shōyō proved his endless stamina by asking to play yet again, even though everyone else seemed ready to topple over. His coach had to step in, physically holding him back from going for the balls, saying that they needed to catch the train back home, on both sides.

"You played a good game," Nekomata praised the Karasuno team which had walked over to their side for after-game comments. He continued talking, but Haru wasn't following. Instead, she took the chance to inspect each of the players slowly, remembering their faces and connecting them to the names they had given. The speech ended with a promise to meet at the Nationals and make it a great Battle at the Garbage Dump. Haru giggled at that, getting ready to help with clean up as the boys dispersed. However, the baldie who played wing spiker stayed behind, looking nervous.

"Can I help you?" Haru asked when she realized that he wouldn't speak first. The Karasuno libero was hanging back too, listening.

"Ah-um-well- Could you tell me your name, please?!" He bowed low, the libero mimicking the motion from the back. Haru giggled, extending her hand.

"Sakurano Chiharu, but most people call me Haru." The baldie wiped his palms on his shorts before he grasped her hand as if it was made of gold, gently shaking it.

"Haru-san!" He bowed again, this time speaking at the same time as the libero. "Thank you for existing!" And the two were off, running to clean up. Haru stayed still for a second, looking after them, before giggling to herself.

"What was that?" Kuroo asked walking over and helping her pack up. "Did they give you any trouble?"

"No," she smiled at him. "I quite like them, in fact." She couldn't stop thinking about what the two had said to her for a while. _Thank you for existing._

* * *

 **I really enjoyed rewatching these two episodes and giving Haru's point of view from the bench… I hope you weren't bored despite the rehash of the episodes :D I tried to be as inventive as possible (I don't like overly detailed rehashes, so I've stayed away from the matches so far)  
Looking forward to your feedback!**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **Yesitsjennifer:  
Hi!  
I know what you mean about the Captain Squad xD I need me some more Haikyuu captains in casual situations, please… I need a poster! Please, I need a poster too! The only ones I have are from the most famous anime so far, like Fairy Tail and FMAB, etc. I think I even have one of Kuroko no Basuke, too xD  
Akari and Kuroo will definitely have their moment later on. I have the scene in my head already, it's bad xD She is a total Kuroo supporter now, though xD I'm glad that you like the fact that I made a small snippet of that switch :)  
Confusion confusion, I like it! Well, I'll touch more on that topic later… However, the gist is kind of like this: Haru hasn't done any clubs or afterschool activities in a while, except work. She spends her time alone watching TV shows or listening to music or studying. Long story short, she's really lonely when alone and falls into a kind of depressive mood when she's not around people. It's especially that switch, from being around the rowdy boys and their constant chatter to going back home, into her 'reality' that put her in such a mood. I hope this explains it a bit?  
Kuroo? Sweet? Does he have that mode? xD Joking, of course he does! But, he doesn't miss a chance to tease Haru, **_**ever**_ **. I loved writing that bit of fluff, glad you enjoyed it :D  
Yesss research research! It makes my head explode and my computer very slow (I constantly have xxxxxxx tabs open in google chrome), but the rewards are too good! I'm always so excited when someone takes note of all the research I do while writing :D  
Maybe? Maybe there will be makeovers… Perhaps… Hahahhahaha There will be drama, there will be fluff, oh gosh, I can't wait to write that!  
I hope I did justice to them in this chapter… I'm going to do my best with them in the future, too, but they still scare me!  
Thanks! We don't celebrate it here, but all my USA friends do, so I feel somehow included :P  
I'm having issues with myself… I usually spend quite a bit of time on the laptop, and these days all of that time had been typing, typing, typing xD I actually have a cramp in my left wrist which makes me take breaks, which has proven great for my studying xD  
Best!**

 **AmIValid2:  
Hi! I'm glad that you enjoyed the last chapter and I hope I lived up to expectations with the Karasuno-Nekoma + Haru interactions :D It was only brief, but I promise that there will be more 1 on 1 interactions with Karasuno members during the training camp later with Fukurodani Group :D  
Thanks! My studies are killing me, but I have this masochistic way of enjoying them too xD I must be wrong in the head xD  
Good luck to you too, we know best we need it xD Cheers!**

* * *

 **Omake:**

Haru sat on the train amongst a group of snoozing boys. They were all very tired from their last few sets with Karasuno, so it was only natural. Yaku was sleeping against her shoulder, talking in his dream about 'nice' and 'cover', which made her smile. Opposite of them, Kuroo and Kenma sat, the small setter's head in their captain's lap as the boy curled in on himself like a cat. She glanced around, finding Lev with his leg propped up on Inuoka's seat, wrapped in bandages. That had been the most drastic injury during their few days of practice games. In the end, she had checked both their team and Karasuno's for concussions, as she had promised herself, getting a comment from the other team's coach about her professionality. He had been quite impressed. With only Lev spraining his ankle and Kuroo jamming a finger on an awkwardly spiked ball, they had done quite well, in her opinion.

She reached for her Japanese History book, deciding to study for a while until they reached Tokyo. As the pages turned, they fell open in the front, where a single red amaryllis lay in between two sheets of notebook paper. She didn't know why she had placed the flower in her bun that day, intertwining it into the rubber band. But, it had made Kuroo smile in such a different way from his usual smirk that she was glad that she had. She knew why she had decided to press it, though. She wanted to save it, just like she wanted to save the memories from this trip.

With a sigh and a small smile, Haru opened the page she needed and began revising.

* * *

 **That's all for now!**


	13. Confession

**I've given up and am totally using this story to cope with my pre-exam anxiety… It's such a nice way to take a break!**

 **Welcome to even more drama and enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 13: Confession**

Haru's head hit the edge of the bathtub softly as she completely relaxed, laying back. She let out a low sigh, the warm water moving as she settled perfectly in the coconut foam she loved using in her bubble baths. This, truly, was a piece of heaven, even if it was five in the morning. Nekomata had told them the previous day that they would forego the morning training, so she was luckily free of rushing to finish her morning routine and get to school on time to help the boys. She finally had some time for herself.

That illusion was quickly broken as her phone rang from the closed lid of the toilet seat. With a low groan, Haru decided to ignore it. Whoever it was, they could wait. Finally, the cellphone stopped ringing. She sighed, relaxing again. Then, the sound rang out once more and she realized that whoever was calling would be as persistent as a woodpecker. Haru pushed herself up, wiping one hand on the nearby towel and then picked up her cell. 'Kurosaki Work', said the screen name. With a raised eyebrow, Haru picked up.

"Am I waking you up?" Satoshi's familiar tone, groggy from sleep, asked from the other end of the line.

"No, I'm up already," Haru smiled at his deep tone. Satoshi had never been good in the morning, for as long as she'd known him. He was a heavy sleeper who liked his bed more than life itself. Yet, calling her at that hour told her that the topic must be rather important. "What's wrong?"

"Wrong?" Satoshi asked, confused. "Oh, nothing, it's just that I wanted to see if you had some free time to do some overtime?" At that, Haru instantly perked up.

"Do we have a nice gig again?" She asked, one hand lazily going through the foam and playing with the warm water of her bath.

"Yes," Satoshi sounded excited, despite his grogginess. "It's that dance group from before, they need a more permanent photographer on site for a while. They asked for us, because of the good work we'd done on their calendar."

"Oh, that would be great for us!" Haru was then overflowing with excitement. She'd been texting with the girl from the group, but nothing about work had come up in their casual conversation. "When do we go?"

"Today, if you can?" Satoshi asked. "I'd come pick you up in-" he trailed off for a second, "half an hour to do the prep. We could go this afternoon and do the shooting." Haru looked at her bath water, a little sad to see the calm morning go.

"I have school today." She told her manager.

"I'd take you there when we're done." Satoshi promised.

"Alright, I'll be ready in twenty." And after getting a confirmation from him, the girl hung up. One last time, she looked at the warm, cozy bath and sighed. So much for some peace and quiet, when it was finally welcome. Haru placed her phone back on the lowered toilet lid and rose from the foam, warm water splashing everywhere. It was time to work.

* * *

Kuroo was waiting in front of the school gates as students walked past him, some greeting him and others wishing him luck in the upcoming tournament. He was waiting for Yaku to make final arrangements about some new set-ups for the team. Kuroo had gotten quite a few ideas from watching Karasuno.

A sleek, metallic blue car pulled in front of the school, catching quite a bit of attention. The music blasting through the open window got quieter, only the bass audible. Kuroo was honestly curious to see who it was from their school that had such a rich boyfriend dropping them off in the nice car. He almost fell to the ground when the passenger side door opened and a familiar mess of curls rose from it.

Haru was leaving the expensive car. She shut the door and then leaned in through the open window for a while. He saw her pull back, her book bag in hand. Her hair was a mess, down for once, making him green with envy. He wanted to know who it was that got the privilege of seeing her like that, so off guard. She gave a small wave and turned to leave the car and its driver behind. However, a male voice calling her by her familiar nickname got her attention again, making her stop. Kuroo moved a bit closer, to the side of where he'd been standing, in order to see the driver who was chatting with Haru so familiarly.

He was a young man, maybe a bit older than them, so in his twenties. He had dyed his hair a paler color, getting to an almost blonde hue. From what Kuroo could see of his face, he was handsome, in a youthful way. The shirt that he could see had an army camouflage print on it, with short sleeves and there were multiple bracelets on the wrist that kept moving, the driver explaining something with his hands. Kuroo caught sight of a single necklace, glittering silver around his neck, the pendant falling down to the man's chest. In short, the driver was the complete opposite of himself. Stylish and with a tastefully arranged head of hair, yet a bit on the wild side with his appearance.

"Who's that?" Yaku had joined him in his inspection, neck craning to see better.

"Who knows." Kuroo shrugged. The small libero frowned.

"Did he drop Haru off?"

"Just now." Yaku's frown deepened.

"I didn't know she had a boyfriend." The libero commented, making the deep pit of dread in Kuroo's stomach intensify. He had denied that word to himself, despite the obvious signs of a relationship. One didn't just drop off a girl at her school in an expensive car if there wasn't something there.

"Neither did I." Kuroo spoke in a low tone. "Let's go, we have some plans to make." Yaku gave him a pensive look, almost worried, but didn't comment. Instead, the libero followed him towards the school. What the third-years missed was Akari bounding over to the car window, as well, to greet the driver familiarly.

* * *

The unease Kuroo felt at the scene he'd witnessed that morning just wouldn't leave his head. He could barely focus in class, taking messy notes and attempting to listen. Yet, the image of Haru with her hair loose and messy kept invading his thoughts, and not in a nice way. He couldn't see her anymore in the dark ocean, illuminated by moonlight. Instead, he kept seeing the bright smile she'd given to the driver of the sleek blue car.

So, when lunch rolled around, Kuroo decided to try and put himself at ease. He collected his money, got his anpan from the school store and headed for Kenma's classroom. He already knew by heart where the setter typically spent his lunch, right at his desk, gaming. And, when he opened the door to the second-year class three, causing giggles and whispers among the female population inside, Kuroo wasn't surprised to see his friend sitting, eating his lunch with one hand and gaming with the other.

"Hey, Kenma," the captain greeted, nodding to the giggling girls as he passed them. He sat down in front of his friend, the wrong way around on the free chair. "New game?" Kenma nodded. Kuroo had known the boy long enough to be able to deduce that he had to be concise and precise with his words, or the other wouldn't register them. "Do you know if Haru has a boyfriend?" So, he came straight out with his question.

Kenma paused the game, lowering the PSP on his desk. The analytic eyes which had been so focused on figuring out the new strategy were now fixated on Kuroo. The captain waited, letting his friend process and then reply on his own.

"No…" Finally, the setter's monotone broke a silence. Kuroo, though ended up with his head falling down, hitting the table with his forehead softly.

"No what?" the third-year whined, in a very manly way in his opinion. "No, she doesn't? No, you don't know?" Kenma's head titled a bit to the side.

"I don't know, but I don't think she does." The setter replied. Kuroo knew that Kenma wasn't comfortable in this conversation. He didn't like the to talk, to begin with. And, this was an overly sensitive topic which he usually didn't care for. The setter was doing his best for his friend.

"See, I thought so, too," Kuroo's head rose, the boy pulling in his chair closer to the shorter one. "But, some older guy drove her to school today." Kenma's head tilted to the other side. "You don't just get dropped off at school in an expensive car for no reason." The third-year elaborated.

"So…" Kenma mused. "It's a problem because the car was expensive?" Kuroo groaned, shaking his head, then stopping and nodding. "Or because the guy was older? Or, was it the fact that it was a guy who dropped her off?" Kuroo's head exploded.

"All of the above! None of the above? I don't know." Finally, the third-year gave up, his hands rising to mess up his bedhead further. "She had her hair down." Kuroo mumbled, making Kenma squint at him. "She never wears her hair down unless she's comfortable with whoever she's with at that moment."

"She's worn her hair down with you?" Kuroo nodded and he saw Kenma's confusion visibly increase. "So, she's been off-guard with you, too? Then is it a problem that she's also off-guard with some other guy? That you're not special to her?" The third-year groaned, his friend hitting bullseye, as always.

"It's everything, all of that," the captain was a mess. His head wouldn't stop going through scenarios which he didn't like one single bit. "She had her hair down, she was talking to him so chattily, with a smile and he _drove her to school_."

"So, you think it's her boyfriend?"

"I don't know!" Kuroo's hands flew up in desperation. Kenma thought for a while in silence, eating his lunch soundlessly.

"I can ask her?" The setter suggested. "Or Akari." Kuroo's eyebrows furrowed.

"Who's Akari?"

"Her best friend." Kenma told him.

"Ah, the scary short girl she's always with?" Kenma nodded. "Would you?" Kenma shrugged. Kuroo nodded. His brain was still churning, but he would accept the setter's generous offer. "Thanks." And then, Kuroo opened the packet holding his anpan and started finally eating, his stomach growling once his primary worries were all fixed, for the time being.

* * *

But, despite Kenma's efforts to calm Kuroo down, the third-year's brain wouldn't stop giving him possibilities and options and scenarios, each worse than the previous one. So, the captain decided to do what any sane man would do – consult a woman about womanly problems. It was in between math and physics that he reached forward from his desk, tugging the end of a single, this time, long dark braid gently.

"Calling Misaki, the Goddess of third year," Kuroo teased from his desk, fingers playing with the edge of the neat braid. The girl who always sat in front of him didn't reply, but chose to ignore his need for attention. Kuroo wouldn't be thwarted so easily, though. "This peasant humbly seeks your wisdom." At that, the girl whirled around in her seat, glaring at him from behind her glasses.

"No, Kuroo, I won't give you my notes," she scolded. "If you want good notes, take them yourself." Kuroo had her. He knew when she reacted like that that he had her. He knew exactly what to do. He would gladly make a devil's deal if it got him what he wanted.

"I'll lend you my bio notes for your thoughts?" Takahashi Misaki was good with any subject. She knew almost everything before it was even taught in class. Kuroo didn't know if she sat at home, reading the textbooks in her spare time or if she was just that knowledgeable, but she always seemed to know everything. There was only one subject which she didn't do well in. And, as luck would have it, he was superb at it. That was the basis of their friendship over the past three years, give and take.

"Okay." Misaki turned to sit completely sideways in her chair, giving Kuroo her full attention. "What's got your mind so busy?" When he raised an eyebrow, she laughed. "I noticed you going from brain blowing up to mumbling to yourself in class today." Kuroo groaned. Then, he sat up straight, towering over the girl in height despite them both being in chairs.

"So, hypothetical situation," Misaki nodded. "Your friend, a girl, is dropped off at school by a good-looking older guy in an expensive car," the girl nodded again. "Who do you think it is that dropped her off?" Misaki sat for a moment, thinking.

"Her father?" Kuroo shook his head. "Brother, relative?" The third-year wondered about that for a second. Did Haru have any pure Japanese relatives? Probably, on her mother's side. "But, the most likely answer, which you probably don't want to hear, is her boyfriend." Misaki was watching the despair on his face with an amused look. "Are we talking about that second-year beach bunny you've been bugging?"

"She's our manager…" Kuroo mumbled and Misaki raised an eyebrow at him. "Okay, I like her, too. But, she's our manager."

"Just ask her," Misaki shrugged. "Or a good friend of hers. Stop that head from making up insane scenarios, I can practically see them like they're a movie playing in the background in class." And with that, the third-year class president left her friend in an even more desperate mood. She did take his biology notebook, though.

* * *

Class ended for Kuroo after what seemed like days. His head was a mess and he couldn't keep any focus on the lectures. He just wanted to see Kenma and ask if the boy had found anything out. Either way, Kuroo wanted to know. If Haru had a boyfriend, he had to back off. If she didn't, he had to go in while he could. Due to the way the girl behaved, without much interest in anything besides her schoolwork and part-time work, he had deduced that he had time. Time to decide what he wanted, what to do. However, now that the possibility was on the table, it scared him to no end.

He grabbed his books and gym bag, walking towards the lockers to change his shoes. He knew that he didn't have much time. He was a third-year. The following year, he would be in college or abroad, playing for a volleyball team. Haru, on the other hand, would still be in high school, surrounded by boys her age. Yet, he'd waited, giving her time to get to know him and giving himself time to muster his courage and not mess up their good new set-up with a manager.

Kuroo opened his locker on autopilot and took out his outside shoes, a note falling onto the ground. But, if that driver wasn't her boyfriend, he wouldn't wait passively anymore. He would do something about his feelings, end result be damned. Kuroo picked up the note, unfolding the paper.

 _Please, hear my confession_

 _I'll be waiting by the girls' basketball gym after school and won't take much of your time because of your practice_

Kuroo's head titled to the side, considering. He didn't get many of these confession notes or love letters. In fact, he didn't think anyone did anymore. It was a rather outdated way of expressing your feelings. Nowadays, with cellphones and social media, there were easier ways to tell a boy or girl one liked them. But, Kuroo had to admire and respect the bravery of the person who'd been so bold to leave the note. And, he was a tad touched that they had been careful to tell him it wouldn't take much time, because of his practice.

He spotted the girl nervously standing next to the basketball gym easily. She was short, with dyed hair that looked almost natural. It was puffy, but neat, in a side ponytail. She wore her uniform shirt short, in a tasteful way, showing off her long legs. Kuroo walked up to her, giving a small awkward wave.

"I got your note." He told her and she offered a bow to him.

"Thank you for coming, Kuroo-sempai." Her voice was soft and girly somehow, too. Everything about her was feminine. "I'm Nishimura Megumi, class 2-3." Instantly, recognition sparked in his brain. _That_ was the girl who had started all the rumors about him and Haru a few months ago. He had never seen her face, but he'd heard her name plenty of times. He frowned a bit, not sure where that interaction would go anymore. "I understand that you might not want to talk to me now that you know who I am," the girl said, looking at her feet shyly, surprising him. "So, you can leave now if you want to."

"Nah," Kuroo laughed. "What did you want to tell me?" The girl looked up at him in surprise.

"Errr I-" she shook her head, a soft scent of flowers wandering up to Kuroo's nose from the motion. "I wanted to explain." The girl was one surprise after another. "I wanted to apologize, firstly, for starting those rumors in April. I was jealous," she looked back down at her feet, and Kuroo gave her time to collect herself and talk at her own pace. "Sakurano has always had the attention from boys, because of her looks. I was jealous that she caught the eye of a boy I liked again." Kuroo's eyebrows rose even higher. "So, I'm sorry, and, I like you Kuroo-sempai, please consider going out with me." The girl bowed and Kuroo was left with his brain not functioning properly.

Suddenly, all of those pieces of the puzzle from back in April fell into place. Nishimura had been jealous of Haru getting his attention, so she'd retaliated in the only way she knew how, with rumors. She'd lashed out because of honest feelings. He couldn't fault that, despite all the grief the action had brought. The girl had had honest reasons for doing it. His mind wondered briefly back to the scene from that same morning, Haru leaving the expensive blue car, and Kuroo felt an odd feeling in his stomach. On one hand, he wanted to reward the girl in front of him for being brave, on the other, he wanted to stop that jealousy in his gut. He wanted to be wanted, too, not constantly wondering if he was.

"I'll tell you what, Nishimura," Kuroo had made a decision. "I don't condone what you did, nor do I like those actions. I think that they're very underhanded." Megumi's head dropped in defeat. "But, I'll go out with you at least on one date, to get to know each other. How does that sound?"

He swore he could see a light shine from the second-year girl at that very moment.

* * *

Kuroo sought Kenma out as soon as he entered the boys' locker room. The small setter was changing at his locker, the captain's right next to his. As soon as Kuroo walked over, Kenma's head rose, their eyes meeting.

"Haru isn't dating the man who dropped her off," the setter told him without having to be prompted, for once. "As far as Akari knows, but she said to just ask Haru straight up. She doesn't know if her friend is interested in Satoshi-san." Kuroo began taking off his uniform, changing into practice T-shirt and shorts.

"In other words, we don't know if they're dating." The captain concluded and Kenma nodded. Kuroo saw the way the setter had his brows furrowed and he knew that the boy was holding something back. "Is it important?" The captain asked, making Kenma look at him pensively.

"I can't say," the setter murmured, his gaze wandering to his hands. "I've been sword to secrecy on the matter."

"On the pain of being hit by a book bag?" Kuroo laughed, remembering his own incident with Akari. Kenma nodded.

"Probably being kicked in the shin, too." The setter got his things and closed his locker. "I'd rather not risk it, knowing Akari's record." He got ready to leave when Kuroo pulled his shirt on, closing his own locker.

"I'm going to go out with Nishimura." Kenma stopped short, turning to look at him with calculating eyes. "She apologized for the mess she caused and asked me out. I couldn't say no." The third-year led them out of the locker room. Kenma didn't speak for a while.

"If you think that's best." Kuroo didn't know if it was disapproval or general indifference that he heard in the boy's tone.

* * *

"Haru!" Taniyama Nana was a relatively tall girl, in her twenties, with beautiful long, straight dark hair. She had a pale complexion, like snow almost, and pouty lips which always seemed to be in a wide smile, showing off her perfect teeth. But, Nana wasn't all natural beauty. She also had style that seemed to accent each of her good assets. The girl wore short skirts or shorts, with tight shirts or blouses that looked simply breathtaking on her. With a bit of natural makeup, she was a sight on the cover page of a magazine.

"How are you?" Haru smiled at the girl, fighting her exhaustion as both her and Satoshi entered the large photo studio. They had booked it that morning after pouring over ideas for the next photoshoot with the models from the dance group.

"I'm great!" Nana came over, hugging the younger girl tightly. She instantly offered to help with the equipment Haru was carrying. "It's going to be so great working with you on a regular basis! I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it, our manager told us to let him arrange everything." Haru waved away the help, but kept chatting as the dancer followed her, showing her where to set up.

"It's alright, I'm glad to be able to take more pictures of you guys." Haru giggled. "You are really one of the best gigs we've had in a while." Nana gave her an inquisitive wide-eyed look, which made her face look attractively small. "We mostly get those artistic ones which focus on nature." Haru explained.

"Oh, that must not be as fun as us!" Haru shook her head.

"I prefer live models, if I have the option to choose." Nana gave the girl another excited hug, leading her to the main room where the rest of the group was chatting with Satoshi. Haru could swear that she saw a hint of a blush on his cheeks while he was surrounded by the eager girls. He seemed to breathe a breath of relief when he saw the second-year.

"Haru, you're with Nana-chan and Shiori-chan today," Satoshi instructed, taking a small bag that Haru was very familiar with and handing it to her. "Go out while there's still a bit of good light and catch as many shots as you can before you get swarmed." The girls giggled at that.

"Satoshi-kun, we can't help that we always have a crowd, you know that." Ayame told him from the group that was staying with him inside.

"I know, I know." Satoshi smiled at her. "But, it's better to have some shots without a crowd around you, if possible." Haru gave him a nod when he turned to her and tossed her bag onto the nearby chair, taking out her wallet and phone, before meeting the two girls at the door.

"Ready?" She asked and the two models nodded. They left the studio and hit the street, looking for good spots with natural sunlight still available. "How do you girls feel about some dance shots today? All stretched and ready?"

"Yes!" Nana grinned. "I remembered that Satoshi-kun asked us to dance last time, so we made sure to stretch well. What do you need us to do?" Haru took out the camera from the black bag at her hip, setting it up. It was a nice Nikon with a 50mm lens, perfect for the shots she was planning to do. It seemed that Satoshi had read her mind, knowing that she would make the girl do some jumps and movements from their routines while she took pictures.

"Okay, let's start with a shot in the street, are you okay with that?" Haru asked and the two dancers grinned at each other, before nodding to her.

"Let's stop some traffic!"

* * *

 **I hope that I managed to get you all excited with the nice title before crushing those dreams with more drama xD I'm sorry!**

 **I've been made aware that my headcanon of Kuroo living only with his mother is not canon, how do you guys feel about me going off-canon with this detail? I like the idea of him being a momma's boy, I'm sorry xD**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **KirikaAndo:  
Hi and welcome to reviews! Thanks so much for leaving me a comment!  
For some reason, this review is only in my mail, but not on the website… so odd… Anyways, my exams are this weekend and then the following one, as well xD I hope to do well, but who knows… At this point I'm just stressing xD Thanks for the support :)  
I'm not promising overly quick updates, but I'll do my best. I'm in a mood to be obsessed with this ship hahahaha  
Happy to have you hooked! I'm so glad I can keep your interest, it's really the best compliment an author can get!  
Kuroo frustrated? Check. Rivals? Well, check? Fluff? To come after the drama, I promise xD  
Love ya too!**

 **Kimikokimono:  
Happy to give you food for recharging :D  
Progress? Regress? I promise both xD I'm gonna start being very frustrating with one step forward, two back xD I'm sorry!  
But, I promise some nice, concrete stuff soon :D  
Cheers!**

 **yesitsjennifer:  
Right, right? The omakeeee gosh, Haru you stupidhead, go climb him like a tree for god's sake! xD They both frustrate me… I can't wait to write the romance… Please, romance already… Why do I keep wanting romance and making drama instead xD Urgh!  
Thanks! I'm super nervous about them and I'm so glad that they came out alright so far :) I seriously love that team…  
For now, not yet, I don't think Haru, Hinata or I can handle it in a scene on paper xD But, next time, I promise some Hinata and, hint hint, Kageyama time. It's gonna be fun! For now, I had my fun writing Tanaka and Noya :D I just love those two! I think Tanaka says a lot of very important and cool things on a whim, so I wanted him to be the one to give Haru the words that she needed… Somehow gives me the warm fuzzies :P  
I. Have. Pacing. Problems. I'm either on fire, writing every day, or I'm sulking and not writing a word xD It's bad… Really bad… I'm glad that you're enjoying the ride I'm on, though :P  
Oh gosh, right in the feels… Thank **_**you**_ **for existing!  
I feel like I need to elaborate a bit, I'm not diagnosed, but I'm pretty sure that I have depression, since I go through really down and unproductive periods. At those times, it's the little things like this website that keep me going. It really means a lot to hear from you guys about how you like the work I do.  
thank you so much! **

**Rosto'sGirl:  
Hi! Welcome to reviews :D  
I'm glad that you like my ship! :D I can't promise more romance right now, but there will be drama and more developments, for sure :D  
Can't wait to hear your thoughts :) **

**Valen Goncalvez:  
Hello! Thanks so much for commenting :D  
Tanaka and Noya are like urgh, I wanna adopt them xD they're such nice, girl-crazy freaks who are so modest about their skills! Yamamoto is a fav, too xD  
Kuroo is an idiot. But we love him. I promise that he will get a bit smarter in the future and will be attentive :P  
Cheers!**

* * *

 **Omake:**

Haru had just left Satoshi's car after he'd dropped her off at her house, when her phone rang. She fished it out of her back pocket, fingers shaky. She was dead tired from running all over the city and taking numerous photos. She was happy with how they had turned out, though. Most of them she could use with a few minor touch-ups.

"Hello?" Haru picked up her phone as she was unlocking the front door.

"Hey there, little spitfire." The familiar deep voice almost made her drop her keys.

"Papa!" Haru grinned wide. "Aren't you in Germany?" She frowned as she entered the hall, toeing off her shoes and turning the lights on.

"Just a short phone call, I promise," the man laughed on the other end of the call. Still, she could hear the loud background. "Sorry about the noise."

"What time is it there?" Haru asked, going to the kitchen and tossing her bag on the kitchen table.

"One in the afternoon, I have a small break before the next game." Dalian hesitated, but then continued. "Listen, since I don't want to rack up a big phone bill, I'll just get to the point. There is a sports meet and greet next week, right before your Inter-High."

"Scouting?" Haru asked around the piece of food in her mouth.

"Yeah," her father confirmed. "It's a formal event where you will need an invitation to enter. I managed to get you one. I don't think I'll be there, but you should go. Also, take the team with you." Haru lowered her chopsticks, looking at the rice in front of her in thought. "You can take only third-years or all of them who are interested in going pro, but take them. It's a good chance to meet some of the big names in the industry."

"Okay," the girl nodded, even though her father couldn't see it. "Can you send me the details?"

"Already send you an email," Dalian was grinning. "Do me proud, kid." There was a short pause where Haru couldn't help but feel the pressure on her shoulders. One wrong move and she could ruin her family's reputation at that event. "Remember, you're a Caballero woman. They're there to own the room and take what they want. Never forget that."

"I won't, papa." The line went dead after her father wished her goodnight quickly because someone was calling him on his side. Haru stood in the kitchen for a moment, looking at the rice and meat in front of her. Then, she picked up her chopsticks, determined. She could do this. She was a Caballero woman, after all.

 **Hope you all enjoyed!**


	14. Akari

**I'm definitely looking forward to your thoughts about this one… I wanted to try something different :D**

* * *

 **Chapter 14: Akari**

Having one or two brothers was nice. Having three, though, was like one was inviting chaos into their house. Boys were typically messy. Messy, disorganized and generally into nasty stuff. Stuff a girl wouldn't want to see. Akari had learnt to live with it. She'd learnt to ignore the worms and snails which would sometimes be in a jar on the kitchen table. She'd learnt to live with the stinky socks and dirty underwear everywhere, which she often had to toss into the washer. She'd learnt to live with the mess. It had built her into a relatively strong person.

Yet, she never let go of her wish to be a girly girl. Akari didn't know when it had started. But, she could remember that she'd seen a princess one, in real life. Perhaps it had been during a visit to an amusement park or some kind of a play. What the girl could remember were the layers of the skirt, the fluffy, delicately scented hair which left a cloud of intoxicating air whenever it passed close, the shiny tiara and wonderful, smooth movement of fingers and hands. She couldn't recall the lady's face or where she'd seen the woman, but she could remember all those details. She'd dreamt of that dress and those hands enough times. So, Akari had done her best to leave behind the girl who could pick up a jar of worms or a stinky sock, instead aiming to be like that vision of perfection.

In contrast with her two best friends, Chiharu and Ikki, she truly was that image. While her single girl friend was tall, tan and had curves, Akari was short, pale and rather thin. It brought her a sense of femininity. With Ikki's muscled form next to her, from years of training basketball, the second-year girl felt like a lady next to an almost barbarian. Regardless of the fact that Ikki was the gentlest boy she had had the chance to know, other than her middle brother, she still felt like that next to his muscles.

Yet, there were occasions when Akari almost gave in to her old self, the girl who didn't have a problem kicking a soccer ball around or spitting on the ground. And, this was one such occasion. She wouldn't call herself possessive or jealous, but she had become so accustomed to having Haru's attention on her as the female council in her life that she was a tad envious. After all, Chiharu was on her phone during breaks at school, texting and giggling with someone she didn't know.

"Who're you texting to, Haru-chin?" Akari asked taking her lunch to her friend's desk and pulling up a chair. Haru's head snapped up, the girl closing her phone quickly so that Akari couldn't see the name on the screen.

"Just a friend from work," the tan cutie smiled, fishing out her own lunch.

"Oh, a boy?" Akari hummed in a teasing tone. Instantly, her friend's face colored. "You know I support Kuroo-sempai now wholeheartedly, please don't make me intervene."

"No, it's just a girl I work with," Akari's heart sank. "Sorry, Akari, I can't give you a name because of the contract."

"Oh, I see." Akari trailed off, her eyes going to her food which suddenly felt unsavory. Luckily for her, Ikki also joined them soon enough, grinning as he sat down with his much larger lunch.

"Ladies," he greeted. "Wanna come to my game this weekend? We're starting the Inter-High and I'll be in the first line-up."

"Congratulations!" Akari forced the previous discontent away, jumping up to hug her friend. He gave her a tight squeeze, laughing when she kissed his cheek. "My boy is growing up! Mama is proud."

"What the hell kind of a relationship are you imagining between us?" Ikki guffawed, making Haru laugh, as well. Yet, despite the playful banter which ensued, their usual one, Akari couldn't help the deep pit of unease in her stomach.

* * *

It appeared that the heavens had it out for her that day. After watching Haru text in class to her new female friend the whole time, barely taking any notes, Akari had decided to treat herself and make it all better. After all, there was nothing better than a small shopping spree, even if she just went to try on new clothing or makeup. But, what she saw that afternoon made her even more uneasy.

Akari left Wacoal with a huge smile on her face, as always. She had a few shopping bags in her hands and headphones on her ears, a cheery tune of the popular kpop group Blackpink keeping her spirits up, as always. She was wondering if she should get something to eat or grab a tea and keep going through stores when she spotted, from her place on the second floor, a familiar tall form in the lobby of the shopping mall. Her smile turning mischievous, she went for the stairs, ready to sneak up on the third-year.

Kuroo-sempai looked rather hot, in her opinion, out of his school uniform. With dark jeans that looked casually ripped at the knees, a loose-fitting white T-shirt and a red and black plaid button-up over it, she could totally imagine him on a date.

"Kuroo-semp-geh!" Akari had just started running to him to scare him from behind, when another figure joined him, making the girl duck behind some decorative greenery. She peeked out from her hiding spot, making sure she'd seen that right. Nishimura Megumi, more commonly known among second-years as Megu-tan, was standing next to the older boy, panting to catch her breath and talking to him. What surprised her even more was Kuroo's reaction. He smiled at her and offered her his hand. "What the heck?" Akari whispered to herself. She pulled her headphones down, wanting to hear the conversation. But, she was too far and they were leaving.

Making a split-second decision, Akari pulled out a hat she had bought earlier and collected her hair in a tight bun, stuffing it under the clothing item. While it didn't make her completely unrecognizable, it did hide her signature wavy locks from sight. Then, she was on her way, trailing after the two people from her school as inconspicuously as possible.

"Where do you want to go first?" Akari heard Kuroo's low voice ask, his head turning to Megumi. She smiled at him in a bright way that the girl had never seen her do before.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," Akari murmured to herself, stopping to look at some dresses in the window while the couple decided on a direction. "Haru had better be grateful."

"Are you hungry, sempai?" Megumi's voice grated on her ears, like it had the whole previous year. Akari could simply never forget those words the girl had spoken to her after being in the class for merely a month. _What are you pretending to be? Some kind of a princess? While you're always playing second fiddle to Sakurano._ Yes, Akari would never let go of those words.

"Please, drop the honorifics, this is supposed to be a date, isn't it?" Kuroo laughed and Akari swore she puked a little into her mouth. So, it _was_ a date. Was he insane? Did he simply lose his mind for a bit? Invasion of the body snatchers?

"Okay," Megumi was blushing, Akari knew even though she couldn't see the girl's face. "Then, Tetsurō-san?"

"That's better." Kuroo nodded. Akari looked back at the window, making a mental note to come back to that store and check out the light pink frilly dress with straps. She would bet that it would look great on her. "I could go for some food, I finished practice and then came straight here after seeing Kenma off."

"Perfect! Let's get something to eat." And the two headed towards the cafeteria. Akari followed, giving them a bit of a head start. She found the couple again in front of Lotteria, standing in line. The girl waited until a few people separated them and then joined the line, as well. She was going for food, in the end. Akari was still close enough to be able to isolate their conversation if she strained.

"You dance?" Kuroo asked, looking down at the girl. "I didn't know that!" Akari took the chance while Megumi was telling the third-year how she'd always loved contemporary ballet to inspect the girl's clothing choices. In contrast with Kuroo's darker colors of preference, the girl wore pink and white, mainly, accented by beige details.

Her outfit that day was a short summer dress, frilly at the edges, with a flower print. It looked quite cute on her, Akari had to admit, and it was very girly. Not a thing Haru would be caught dead in, and her friend had tried to get her into such things multiple times. They would just go so perfectly with her tan skin! Though, it was the shoes which caught Akari's attention. She had seen them before in Attagirl. The beige princess heels with a bow. She'd even considered buying them, but definitely wouldn't now that she knew that Megumi had a pair.

"Oh, don't worry about it," Kuroo's voice made Akari focus again. "It's my treat." He paid and then the two left the line, going for a table. The girl craned her neck, trying her best to see where they would sit down. Her turn to order came and she lost sight of the couple.

"Umm, just a shake and a water, please." The girl fumbled with her purse, quickly finding her wallet. She needed to be quick if she was to find the couple once more. A small onset of panic bubbled in her stomach.

"Which flavor would you like, miss?" the server asked, being painfully slow.

"Tiramisu." Akari ordered on instinct, her usual drink when she was shopping with Haru. The server bowed and left to fetch her order. Akari got the money exact and ready, needing to be as quick as possible when she left, yet inconspicuous.

"Here you go, miss," the server was back after what seemed like hours. "Please come again." The lady told her when she accepted the money. Akari offered her a small, polite nod and grabbed her drink and the glass of water, leaving. She wandered through the crowd of eating people, seemingly looking for a free table. A group of boys catcalled at her, inviting her to sit down with them. She ignored them, while she might've taken them up on their offer some other time. There was nothing that Akari enjoyed more than wiping a smirk off a boy's face with a biting remark disguised as a flirting line. But, she was on a mission.

She managed to spot Kuroo's messy bedhead and chose to sit on the side of them, a much safer place than behind one of the two. After all, that would leave her obviously exposed to the person sitting on the opposite side. Akari sat down, taking out her cellphone and opening a random app, pretending to read as she listened to the pair and drank her shake. She couldn't stop her hands from trembling, though. She had almost lost them and the adrenaline rush had her on edge.

The two were definitely on the most boring date of the century, Akari decided. They talked about neutral topics, like Megumi's classes, Kuroo's volleyball and plans after the year was done and he went to college. She found out _way_ too much information about the both of them as they ate their meals, the girl being horrifyingly slow. Akari supposed that Megumi was attempting to be ladylike in front of her companion, which clashed with the way she ate her lunch usually. If there was one thing that Akari could remember Megumi liked, from their previous year, it was bland food in large quantities. Her lunches had always been double her own portion. It was a wonder how she stayed so thin.

Finally, the couple decided to leave the cafeteria after about forty minutes. Akari waited a tad, then followed, tossing her shake container into the trash on her way. She tailed them for over three hours and decided that Kuroo and Megumi were like a slow flowing river, lazy and boring. The third-year let the girl drag him around the mall, trying on outfits and getting his opinion. She made him go into a few stores and test out a few himself. The only thing he seemed genuinely into was when he pulled them into a sports store, getting himself a pair of new sneakers for the tournament.

But, Akari didn't miss the sly little things that Megumi was doing the whole time. Taking his hand, touching his arm, even pushing against him in the more crowded areas. The girl had moves, Akari would give her that. Megumi was obviously looking for something more physical with the boy, while Kuroo seemed uncharacteristically oblivious. From what Haru had told her about the volleyball captain, he was perceptive, cunning and terrifyingly smart. He saw the smallest of details and provoked on the sensitive topics, looking for reactions. There was _no way_ he would've missed the signs Megumi was giving. Then, Akari concluded, he wasn't that interested.

After a full rotation of the mall the two finally called it a day and agreed that Kuroo would see her off to the train station. Akari practically _heard_ alarm bells go off in her head. A train station was the perfect place for a parting kiss and she wouldn't put it past Megumi to pull off a sly move like that. So, Akari followed them yet again, with a low groan.

"I can't believe this," she grumbled to herself, exiting the mall into the sunny street. She took out her sunglasses and placed them over her eyes. "I'm going to kill _her_ if she does anything." Then, Akari stopped short for a second. "What if he does it?" she said to herself, remembering to keep tailing the couple. "Oh, I'll kill him, too."

Akari cursed the couple for making her waste a ticket as she swiped her card to enter the train station and made certain to stand a little to the side, hiding behind one of the pillars. She saw them saying their goodbyes as Megumi's train arrived, but was too far to hear what was being said. Then, Megumi pushed herself onto her tiptoes and kissed Kuroo's cheek, making him blush and Akari mutter a rather unladylike curse. Then, Megumi gave a kind of inviting look to the boy, before going for his lips. And he let her.

"Yuck." Akari turned around, having seen just enough. She left her hiding spot fuming, not really in the mood to go back to the mall. Instead, she went to her own station, waiting for the number. Then, changing her mind, the girl walked to a different platform, taking out her phone. She dialed a number she'd gotten rather recently, forgoing her usual embarrassment to contact the boy she didn't know that well.

"Hello?" the voice picked up after at least ten rings, when she was ready to hang up. It sounded uncertain and borderline uncomfortable.

"Kenma, we need to talk," Akari addressed the boy familiarly, as he always demanded everyone did. "You won't _believe_ what I just saw!"

"Okay?" Was that a question?

"I'm coming to your place, text me the exact address." Akari demanded, not leaving him any room to wriggle out. There was a short silence before Kenma replied.

"Okay…"

"See you soon." And Akari hung up, the train arriving. She didn't even manage to get on it before her phone dinged, showing her that Kenma had texted his address to her almost instantly. Akari grumbled, plopping down into a free seat unceremoniously.

* * *

Kenma was a little miffed that his free afternoon was being interrupted, but he still opened the door as soon as the bell rang. The vision that he was met with put him at a sense of unease. Kudō Akari wasn't his friend, per se. He knew of her, but he'd never really spoken to her until he'd started hanging out with Haru more. So, for her to be at his doorstep, cheeks flushed and in a ridiculous looking wide-rimmed hat and large sunglasses, was rather unbelievable.

"Is Kuroo right in the head?!" Were her first words as she reached up, pulling the hat off her head and leaving her hair rather messy from it. She walked into his house without him having to invite her, positively fuming at the ears. Her summer dress looked cute, Kenma nodded absent-mindedly, cheeks flushing a soft red. "I mean, Megumi?! _Megumi_ of all people!" She wasn't making any sense.

Kenma walked behind her after closing the front door, watching the girl struggle with the strap of her shoes in her anger. Then, she pulled of her sunglasses as well, finally getting out of her low heels, and stepped into his home barefoot. She turned around, fixing him with a glare. Kenma felt air leave his lungs at the vision of absolute fury and beauty. He didn't know the girl could look like that.

"Did he get hit in the head by a ball during practice?" Akari asked in a tight voice. "Many times?"

"Probably…" Kenma replied in a monotone, stepping closer to the girl. "What happened?"

"A date!" Akari threw her hands in the air and Kenma felt his own eyebrow twitch in irritation. The idiot had actually gone and done it this time for real.

"Did you tail them?" Kenma asked, leading Akari past the living room and kitchen, towards his room.

"Of course, what do you take me for," Akari grinned at him finally, looking more like the girl he knew at school. "I've got tailing and stalking skills for days. Oh, wait, I need water, I'm going to drop dead otherwise," she caught the edge of his T-shirt, pulling him into his own kitchen. "This heat today is ruining me."

"Okay…" Kenma went to the fridge, getting the girl a glass of water and when she finished it in seconds, he poured the elderberry juice into it.

"Oh, is this like Haru's?" Akari asked after taking a sip.

"Yes…" Kenma looked down, cheeks blushing. He'd liked the juice so much that he'd bought it in the end. Nobody other than him in his family liked it, however.

"That's cool, I love this juice." Akari smiled at him and the blush on his cheeks got worse. "Haru's always complaining how she has to buy double when I'm at her place."

"Do you want some pie?" Kenma asked, putting the juice back into the fridge.

"Oh, now that you mention it, I'm starving," Akari laughed. "I was too focused on tailing and didn't get lunch."

"Is apple pie alright?" Kenma pulled out his favorite dish which could always be found in his fridge, cutting off a piece and putting it on a plate.

"It's my favorite!" The boy almost dropped the fork he had gotten for the girl.

* * *

Akari left Kenma's house feeling much calmer. He had even let her use his bathroom to remove her makeup, all messed up from her stressful afternoon, and then put on a new layer. In fact, he had been rather interested in her routine, watching quietly from the door. Akari had found it adorable and asked him if he'd ever done his nails. She had taken a class about it last month and was desperate for victims to practice on. Ikki had already been subjected to a deep green color, his favorite, with various decorations. He'd complained the next day how everyone on the team had teased him about the bling, but wouldn't take the polish off until it started getting chipped. Kenma had told her how he'd never gone to the nail salon, and Akari had promised to do his nails really prettily sometime.

The short setter was a mystery to her, if she were being completely honest. But, she enjoyed his presence. He was like a calm sea, without much wind. Though, definitely a summer calm ocean. There was something warm in everything he did, from the way he talked to the way he fiddled with his PSP or phone in order to evade eye contact. She wondered why she'd never taken the time to talk to him before and attempt to break through his wall of isolation. Akari would definitely hunt him down again, regardless of the mess with their best friends going on still or not.

Speaking of the mess, Kenma had confirmed her suspicions. Megumi had gone and confessed, and Kuroo had agreed to go out with her because of that. On one hand, she could objectively understand his actions, wanting to reward the bravery that it took for one to go out on a limb and confess. On the other hand, though, Kenma had told her that he was pretty certain that Kuroo liked Haru quite a bit, and wanted to be more than friends. That had brought her to a state of confusion. She'd asked Kenma if he'd told his friend that Satoshi and Haru weren't dating, as far as she knew, and he'd replied that he had. So, she was at a standstill with the situation. In the end, why would he go out with _Megumi_ of all people. That despicable, gossiping, horrible girl. She was the worst, in every sense.

So, Akari decided that she would clear up the mess which had appeared in front of her nose like an unsavory dish that afternoon as soon as possible. She went straight to Haru's house, despite it being a tad late. She'd ended up playing games at Kenma's for too long after they'd finished their discussion and plotting. It was hard to refuse, as the boy had almost every game that she knew of!

Haru's house was just a few stops from Kenma's, and then a bit of a walk up the street. Akari waited in front of the door for a bit after ringing the bell multiple times before she took out her cellphone and called her friend.

"Hello?" Haru's voice sounded tired.

"Did I wake you?" Akari asked, leaning on one leg.

"I wish," her friend replied with a sigh. "I'm doing overtime. Is everything alright?" Akari groaned, leaving the porch and heading back towards the train station. If Haru was doing overtime she was either at the studio or at Satoshi's, which were both downtown.

"Of course not, that's why I tried stopping by," Akari told her, the irritation from before making a reappearance. It seemed that she needed Kenma's calming presence next to her or she would blow a fuse again, the girl mused. "Can I come over and take you for drinks?"

"Sure," Haru's tone had changed, the girl sounding worried. "It would be even more amazing if you would bring coffee here and we could chat while I work?"

"Oh, that busy?"

"More," Haru groaned and Akari heard Satoshi in the background, laughing and telling the girl not to slack off. "I'm at the studio. Do you know what to get?"

"Mocha with extra cream and an americano?" Akari asked, already familiar with what the two people who were usually found at the studio preferred. She reached the train station and walked to the platform, checking the board for the next train in passing. It would be there in a few minutes.

"Satoshi is begging for a double shot americano." Haru laughed. Still, she sounded quite exhausted.

"Must be a hard day's work, then." Akari giggled. "I'll be there in twenty minutes, max."

"Alright, see you soon." Haru hung up and Akari was left standing at the platform almost alone. She looked down at her phone before pocketing it. There was a small thought of going home to drop off her shopping bags, but she dismissed it. There were more pressing matters that she had to deal with. For example, was Haru actually dating Satoshi. And, how would she tell her friend that Kuroo had went out with Megumi. Akari groaned, cursing the fact that she had managed to spot the third-year for the tenth time that day.

* * *

 **Thoughts? Stupid Kuroo? Silly Akari? Btw, Kenma and her kinda hit it off without a plan, this is getting me all excited! Akari was simply supposed to be a supporting character in the beginning, but she'd taking over hahahaha I love it when that happens on its own xD**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **Yesitsjennifer:  
Your review arrived to my mailbox just as I was finishing up the touch-ups before an update xD I paused to reply before I uploaded hahahaha  
I'm coping, what can I say… I did a practice test today and got 21/30 and I'm doing this exam on Saturday, I'm terrified and I need coping… I need help. I am depression and confusion, why is English phonetics so hard?!  
Take your time and read at your own pace, I get that :D I'm usually one of the people who likes to wait until chapters pile up and then read them all at once xD  
Thanks! I know a lot of people from my generation and similar age have the same issue, so it makes me feel like I'm not alone… I don't know what happened to us xD Somehow we're all like this hahahaha I don't see the same feelings much in my students, who range from 2001 and younger ages…  
I'm a sadist, too, don't worry xD Jealous Kuroo is the best Kuroo! Makes him stop dragging his arse like an idjit and make a **_**damn move**_ **. Wrong one, though, but still a move xD  
I'm stressing, but not so much about the updates as about the test xD I found out yesterday that we would have transcription in our test which was just supposed to be spelling and vocab, so I'm panicking xD Luckily, it's two weeks away… I'll cope with fanfiction until that passes probably xD Enjoy the ride while I'm on a writing binge hahahahaha  
Have a great day!**

 **Valen Goncalvez:  
Hey there, hope you liked the new chapter!  
Have a great one :D**

 **Rosto'sGirl:  
Kuroo is too nice sometimes, I agree xD But, we gotta appreciate him for it xD  
I'm always happy to have communication with my readers :D it makes me all warm and fuzzy :)  
Binge read aaaawwwwwwwww That's the best compliment I can get! I'm glad I managed to keep you entertained :D  
I'll admit I'm a sucker for happy endings, so there's a preview right there :P  
Cheers!**

* * *

 **Omake:**

She looked cute. Kuroo had let himself be guided by Megumi around the mall, listening to her chatter and generally doing his best to enjoy himself. But, there was a thought at the back of his mind that there was something off the whole time. While the girl surely was entertaining and paid attention to him, there was something that the whole date lacked.

The scent of coconuts and coffee, he realized as they left the dress store, the girl having tried multiple outfits and let him decide which one looked best. Megumi smelled like flowers, a gentle and breezy perfume. While Kuroo preferred the familiar scent of hidden citrus under coffee and coconuts. The realization had made him pull back from her a bit.

He hadn't been oblivious to her attempts to get his attention in a more intimate way, either. Megumi would take his hand to lead him into a store, touch his arm while she was talking and come quite close to him in a crowded area. All that did, however, was make her perfume even stronger in his nose, which in turn made him pull away more determinedly. She'd even offered him a bite of her food, to try she'd said, and he'd accepted.

Long story short, Kuroo had thought that he could do it. Go out with someone that was blatantly interested in him. However, it was proving to be a false hypothesis. His mind kept wandering to the scent he was so intoxicated by, then to the scene with the sleek blue car and then in defiance telling him to pay attention to the date.

It was, however, the kiss which had done it in for him. He had expected some form of a goodbye from the girl. But, when Megumi had reached up and pulled him into a rather intimate kiss, he'd obliged, before gently letting go, too soon for her liking, he could tell. They both knew it, at that moment, that there would be no second date. Kuroo was left standing on the platform, disgruntled and angry at himself for being unable to say no to that date.

"Damn it," he murmured to himself, hand going up to wipe his mouth where Megumi's lip gloss still shimmered. "Damn it all to hell." For once in his life, Kuroo was truly left unhappy with the situation he had put himself into.

* * *

 **That's all folks! Give me your thoughts :D Also, Akari and Kenma? Unlikely pair? Do you like it? Hate it?**


	15. Horrible

**Hello my dear readers, and welcome to another chapter. If you're interested in the aesthetics, I've began uploading them on my tumblr page styomi dot tumblr dot com**

* * *

 **Chapter 15: Horrible**

Haru sat in her usual chair at work, frozen. Akari was settled on the table next to her, her own coffee in hand. She had a troubled look on her face, watching Haru's reactions carefully. Satoshi seemed to have stopped working on the PC, as well, but was still turned towards the screen.

"W-what?" the girl finally spoke after a minute or so, her face muscles making an amazing expression. Akari sighed, her head dropping down before she quickly raised it.

"He was out with Megumi," she told her friend slowly, like Haru had suddenly forgotten Japanese. "On a _date_." Haru's hands began shaking and she placed thee coffee down, her head going to her hands, fingers messing up her curls.

"Are you sure?" There were sounds of a mouse clicking and Satoshi doing some work in the back.

"I tailed them for three and a half hours!" Akari whined, making the man try to hold in his laughter, but not quite make it. "I have skills, alright?!"

"Are you sure it wasn't just a casual date?" Satoshi turned his chair around, leaning on one armrest. "I mean, we do it a lot in college. If you don't know someone, you go out with them to get to know them, before you make a commitment. It's so sad how you youngsters forego the whole dating process and go straight into a relationship." Satoshi laughed.

"I don't know," Akari shook her head. "They went to stores, held hands and she _kissed_ him at the end."

"Oh," Satoshi frowned. Haru's soul seemed to have left her body, making the girl look like some form of a weird statue.

"I talked to Kenma earlier, he said that Kuroo-sempai thought that you two were dating." Her fingers went between the other two people in the room. Satoshi started laughing, bending over in his office chair.

"No way," the manager said, waving his hand in a denying motion. "Haru's cute and all, but a tad young for me. I prefer mature women."

"I'm plenty mature!" That comment seemed to bring the girl out of her shell-shocked state as she turned to her manager, pouting.

"Wait, wait, what brought him to that idea, though?" Satoshi looked at Akari, choosing not to retaliate.

"Apparently, you did," when Satoshi shrugged in question, the girl elaborated. "You drove her to school and Kuroo-sempai saw that. I didn't know if you were or weren't together, so I said that to Kenma when he asked."

"Aaaah, a silly little misunderstanding," Satoshi shrugged again, swiveling his chair back to face the PC. "Just talk to the boy." Haru didn't reply. Akari, when she looked at her friend, somehow doubted that that talk would go too well.

* * *

Haru didn't end up going home that evening. Her mind, even after Akari left, was in complete disarray. She kept making elementary mistakes while editing and then going back to fix them. Satoshi, in the end, offered to drive her to his apartment where they could keep working and also freshen up. Familiar with that happening while work was busy, Haru accepted.

Satoshi's flat wasn't too far away from the studio, it was only a twenty-minute drive. It was a rather spacious space for someone working in a photo shop, too. There were three rooms and a bathroom, all of which Haru knew by heart. So, after a small meal and working the majority of the time, the two took their showers and went to bed in separate rooms.

The morning was spent in a similar fashion. Shower, small meal and lots of work. Satoshi had been given a deadline to have the pictures of the dance group ready to publish, which was that weekend. In just a few days, they had to make a miracle happen. And, Haru was working in her free time on a personal project.

"Ready to go?" Satoshi asked, grabbing his keys and walking into the small living room. Haru saved her work and got up, her uniform already on and book bag packed.

"All set," she followed her manager out, giving him the specifics of her work. "You just need to do a few finishing touches on that picture with Nana doing an arabesque and it should be ready. Though, check the one with the whole group on the stairs, where they're holding the candles," Satoshi opened his car door, sliding in. Haru rushed to the other side, getting into her seat as well. "I left it open in the program for you to look over."

"Alright, sounds like we're almost ready." The manager turned on the music and pulled out of the parking spot, joining the slowly moving line of cars. "You just focus on school and rest for a bit. We can do some more stuff tonight or tomorrow."

"Okay!" Haru grinned and then the two fell into easy chatter, the ride going by quite quickly.

* * *

Was there a way to stop one's mind from going into overdrive? Haru discovered that there really wasn't. She _knew_ that she should be happy about her work and the important assignment she had. Satoshi was counting on her majorly and the success of the whole thing depended on the both of them equally. She _knew_ that Ikki was counting on her and Akari to go to his game and that he was so _excited_ about the Inter-High preliminaries that weekend. She _knew_ that her own team was also looking forward to, if not a bit anxious about their own matches which would happen soon. She also _knew_ that her father was counting on her to make him proud during the sports benefit. She _knew_ that her mind should be in a good place, looking forward and working hard towards all those things. Yet, all her stupid brain could do was think about Megumi and her grabby little hands all over Kuroo.

It didn't have anything to do with Kuroo, Haru had rationalized to herself. It wasn't like she was dating him or wanted to date him. It was just… just… the way the boy behaved made her think that there could be something there. She had simply been too scared to admit it and give a push from her side. Yet, what really made her almost physically sick was the fact that Kuroo had chosen _Megumi_ of all people. Why couldn't it be some nameless third-year she didn't know? But Megumi.

Haru had gotten over her inferiority complex to the girl just a while back, only for it to come back full force with this unfortunate event. She could see them, together, in her imagination like a twisted image of beauty, walking hand in hand and laughing. And, that hadn't been that bad. Haru could survive if that was the _only_ image it saw. But, during the lunch break she heard two girls whispering to each other in the bathroom, saying how Kuroo had _slept_ with Megumi on the first date. As silly and highly improbable as it sounded, Haru's mind had taken it under consideration, shooting out one after another sickening picture. She couldn't _stop_ imagining the two, barely clothed, in highly intimate positions.

Her mind knew just what to picture, too. She'd had the misfortune of stumbling into the boys' locker room more than once, catching them all in some state or the other of undress. She'd seen quite a bit of Kuroo's body when he changed his shirt before a practice match at the gym, right there beside the bench. She knew what to put into her sickening image. Megumi, she'd had the opportunity to see changing into her PE uniform a few times last year. It wasn't that Haru had been looking for that, either time, it had simply happened. And, what an unfortunate fact that was. Her mind was on fire and she just wanted it to _stop._

She wanted to go back to visualizing her brush working over troublesome parts of an image on her computer. She wanted to see Ikki's sweaty body yelling for a ball and jumping to do a dunk at the basketball gym. She wanted to see the volleyball team celebrating after a win. She even wanted to picture the wardrobe that she'd torn apart, looking for a suitable outfit for the benefit. There were so many positive images that she could see in her head, yet her mind kept disobeying, as if saying that she should care about Kuroo and Megumi more. Finally, Haru snapped during one of the short breaks in between classes, getting up from her desk so quickly that her chair slammed violently into the desk behind hers. Akari jumped up to the right of her, almost dropping the phone she'd been using to text even in class.

"Ha-Harucchi?" her friend's voice didn't manage to pull her back from her task and the second-year girl stomped towards the door. "Harucchi? Where are you going?! Don't do anything stupid, Harucchi!" But it was stupid. She knew that it was stupid. Stupid and irrational and could probably get her a suspension but she was far beyond that point. Haru stomped into class 2-3 with vengeance on her mind, this time not only for herself.

"Megumi," the girl called out in a surprisingly calm tone, making the small group of girls around Megumi's desk turn around to look at her. She could feel Kenma's inquisitive stare on her face, but she didn't dare look up at him. Instead, she slowly walked over to the girl she couldn't get out of her mind. "Lying again?" Haru asked, stopping in front of the desk then.

"About?" Megumi looked like some kind of a queen, sitting there, legs crossed and skirt worn short. Her hair and makeup were perfect, as always. She was sneering at Haru as if she was some kind of a peasant coming for an unwanted audience.

"You know what I'm talking about," Haru said, doing her best to keep her tone calm. When she looked at the girl all she could see was those tiny pale hands all over Kuroo's lanky form. "I warned you not to spread lies again, didn't I?"

"But, I'm not spreading any lies, Sakurano-san?" Megumi had the audacity to play innocent, tilting her head to the side and looking cutely at Haru, her whole demeanor changing. When she thought back to that moment, months later, she could plainly see that the girl had had some kind of ulterior motives. She should've noticed that then. Yet, at those words, all Haru's brain did was go back to that image of Kuroo and Megumi together, on some foreign bed, half-clothed in the dark.

"You think it's funny, right?" Haru walked forward, her hands going to the desk, spotting the girls around Megumi move back from her from the corner of her eye. "Talking absolute crap and bullshit about people who are kind and won't retaliate? You think it's funny that you can ruin someone's life with only the lies that you spread, you poisonous snake?"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." Megumi's voice trembled and there were tears in the corners of her eyes, but Haru simply didn't give a damn anymore. She just wanted to hurt the girl like Megumi had hurt her the previous and then that very same year. And, she wanted to protect Kuroo, as well, just like he had protected her that April.

"You little lying-"

"You!" Haru was stopped by a booming voice at the door before her hand could make a grab for Megumi's shirt, which it had been aimed at. It was like cold water had been poured over her anger, stifling it. She slowly turned around, barely registering the victorious smile on Megumi's face, the frown on Kenma's and Akari's own expression of almost annoyance from outside the classroom. "What's your name and class?" The teacher standing at the door had a fierce look on his face.

"Sakurano Chiharu, 2-2." Haru knew it was over, Megumi had won that round. She had been stupid enough to fall for it, too. There was no use in trying to wriggle out of it.

"Go to the principle's office!" The teacher sounded furious. He looked around the class, then called out. "Kozume, see that she does it." Then, Kenma was standing next to her.

"C'mon, Haru." His voice was low and somehow sympathetic, which almost made her break down then and there. Kenma took her hand gently and pulled her towards the exit, meeting Akari outside.

"Do you want me to come with?" The silence was stifling around their words and Haru felt her throat constrict and air leave her lungs.

"No, I've got it," Kenma murmured to the girl. "You should go to your own class." Akari was gone and they were in a different corridor. They were walking to the principal's office. There was a warmth on her hand and Haru looked at it, seeing Kenma's still tightly holding hers.

"Kenma," she murmured, voice breaking. The setter looked slightly up to meet her eyes for once. "Am I a horrible person?" Her voice finally broke and she knew that she was crying. "Is being in love going to make me like this forever?" Haru didn't register what she'd uttered, but Kenma never let anything escape him. His eyes wide, he looked at the girl properly. She was blushing, crying, but looking finally less out of it.

"You just did something stupid," he told her, his free hand digging into his pocket to pull out tissues. He took one out and carefully wiped the tears which wouldn't stop rolling down the girl's cheeks. "You're not a horrible person but you just feel like that right now. It's because jealousy makes us ugly and horrible." The teary brown eyes met his own and then, Haru was hugging him, in the middle of the corridor, crying loudly. All Kenma could do was keep handing her tissues and hold her trembling body tightly.

* * *

In the end, she had gotten lucky. The principal had agreed to let her off with a stern warning due to her previously exemplary record. Though, Haru had been reminded that petty rumors shouldn't be something to make her resort to violence with a rather meaningful look. It was as if the principal had given her the final hint and permission. Haru walked up to Akari first, after class and took her sleeve pulling her into the girls' bathroom.

"Haru!" her friend swiveled to check her over, touching her cheeks tenderly. "Have you been crying?" Akari asked.

"It's fine," Haru nodded at her with a determined look. "I just wanted to tell you that Megumi was actually very fat in middle school and everyone hated her and I have pictures." Akari tilted her head to the side, looking at her friend expectantly.

"I…see?"

"Do what you will with that information." Then, Haru turned around and left the girls' bathroom, heading to her next destination with a finally clear head. She spotted Kuroo's messy bedhead easily in front of the boys' locker room next to the gym and called out before he could enter.

"Kuroo!" He literally jumped, turning around. Was that a blush on his face? "Just wanted to let you know that Megumi has been telling everyone how you slept with her after that date you had yesterday!" Kuroo's expression, unlike what she'd expected at the loud comment made for anyone nearby to hear, changed into pure glee.

"She has, has she?" He asked, making Haru's determination waver. She'd thought he hadn't slept with Megumi. But, by the reaction, perhaps he had. After she gave him a small nod, the boy started laughing his weird guffaw though. "Oh, I thought-I thought, damn this is golden! Wait for me a second, alright?" Kuroo tossed his bag into the locker room and ran downstairs, coming up to grab Haru's shoulders in excitement. "What should we do?" the girl was baffled.

"Wh-what should we do?" she repeated uncertainly back to him.

"I personally don't condone revenge, except in volleyball, but after she's pulling this stunt again, I'm not against it." Kuroo shrugged. "I really thought she was honest in her feelings and wanted to respect them, you know?"

"R-respect them?" Haru was, once again that day, left completely baffled and semi-frozen. "Kuroo, I'm not following…" The captain seemed to be on cloud nine, but he made an effort to explain.

"The most power you can give someone over your reputation is if you lie that you'd slept with them," he told her with a smirk. "Typically, I wouldn't take advantage and just wave at the BS as it passes, but I'm honestly tired of always being in the center of the rumor mill, even if it's all false."

"But, you did go out with her?" Haru tilted her head.

"You jealous?" That smirk made her snap.

"No!" Haru's hand slammed into Kuroo's chest and she turned around, walking towards the gym.

"Woah, woah, woah!" He was too quick for her. Catching her wrist and spinning her around, Kuroo had her trapped once more. "You're actually jealous?" she shook her head and he sighed. "Let me explain," Kuroo led her away from the gym and out by the currently empty soccer field, plopping down and patting the ground next to himself. Haru obliged, sitting down as well. "Now then, we should clear this mess up. I know Megumi's your nemesis and all, but I didn't think that it would bother you that much."

"I hate her," Haru interrupted. "She's probably the only person I hate in this world." Kuroo leaned back onto his arms with a sigh.

"Have you ever confessed to anyone?" He asked her in a different tone, much calmer. Haru looked over at him, seeing those eyes watching her tentatively, like he usually tracked their opponents during a match.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Have you?"

"Once."

"Was it hard?" Haru thought about it for a moment, then nodded.

"I was scared that I'd get rejected." Kuroo nodded to her and then gave her a smile.

"I have a friend in my year, Misaki, she'd the class president and one of the best students we have at Nekoma," Haru wasn't sure where he was going with his story again. "She was really confident and headstrong in first year and it made her rather popular. After a while, she had a boy whom she liked. A sempai. So, she went and confessed."

"Did they get together?" Haru asked, fully forgetting the confusion from earlier and focusing on Kuroo's story. He shook his head.

"The sempai's friends recorded her confession and passed it around for giggles. And, he said quite a few mean things to her," Kuroo looked at Haru with some kind of strength that she wasn't familiar with. It was a completely new expression on his face. "I promised that I would never reject a confession unless I was already in a relationship back then."

"Oh…" Haru nodded, eyes going to her hands.

"Besides, it was stupid to accept to go on a date with Megumi, even though I like someone else." At that, Haru's head snapped back up, looking at him in shock. So, there was some nameless third-year that he liked. "But, I couldn't refuse getting to know her, at least."

"Kuroo-sempai…" Haru murmured. "You're too kind."

"Back to the sempai thing!" Kuroo groaned, arms giving in as he flopped back onto the grass. "I thought I'd just cleared a level, too!" Haru giggled, shaking her head at his antics.

"But, what did you mean about revenge?"

"Oh, I could say whatever I want about how Megumi is in bed, now that she's told the whole school we slept together." Kuroo had a pensive look on his face. "Do you want me to?" He looked at her, fixing her in place. Haru thought about it for a split second before she shook her head.

"We have a choice to give in to the horrible," she told him. "I choose not to." She missed the way he smiled at her, like he was proud, because the girl gasped and jumped up. "I need to talk to Akari!" And she was gone.

* * *

Her mind was finally quiet, for the first time that day. Satoshi had called to tell her he was dead tired and needed a break that afternoon. She had managed to catch Akari and swear her to secrecy on the Megumi thing. She had caged the horrible thoughts inside her head yet again with two conversations, one with Kenma and the other with Kuroo. She even felt good, sitting on the bench, watching the boys go crazy when Nekomata had let her tell them about the invitation to the benefit.

She was smiling, for the first time since she'd heard about Kuroo and Megumi's date and there were no foul images in her head. Haru even shared a small knowing smile with the captain as they bantered during a water break, as usual. The peace in her head was broken when a certain too loud presence entered the gym as the boys were getting ready to leave.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Bokuto entered, wearing his school uniform for once, Akaashi in tow. Haru was pretty certain that she heard Kenma exclaim something close to 'geh' and duck towards the bench.

"Hello," the setter offered the group a nod, almost apologetic for his teammate.

"Kuroo, up for after-practice practice?" Bokuto's question caused mayhem as the majority of the Nekoma team made a quick escape. Nekomata handed Haru the keys, clapping her gently on the shoulder and leaving her in charge of the rowdy boys who'd chosen to stay.

"I promise we won't be too long, Haru-san." Akaashi tried to console her, but Haru just sighed and shrugged. She already knew from her last experience with Bokuto that he had endless stamina.

"It's alright," she plopped down onto the bench, taking out her homework. "You guys play till you're happy, just don't hit any strays at me, please. I have to study."

"Alright! Let's go, Kuroo!" Bokuto led the mismatched team into a small three on three, despite the Nekoma captain's protests.

* * *

Haru left the gym to refill the bottles sometime after the fourth time Kuroo had started yelling at Lev about his 'banzai block'. She couldn't keep the smile off her face as she listened to them, trying her best to focus on the homework. As the girl emptied, washed and then filled the bottles on autopilot, she saw a tall shadow at the outside sink. Someone had come up behind her. Someone big. Haru spun around, water bottle in hand, ready to smack the person.

"Hey, Haru!" Bokuto's loud tone made her immediately lower the poor choice of weapon. "I'm going to die, move please." She obliged, scooching to let the older boy dunk his head under the stream. He sighed and then moved to the side, drinking deeply from the tap.

"Don't drink too much cold water at once or you'll get sick, Bokuto-san." Bokuto's face came out of the water and he shook his head, splashing drops of water everywhere. Haru moved a little to the side to attempt to evade them, but some still caught on her red Nekoma sweats.

"Oh, you sure are knowledgeable about doctor stuff, Haru." Bokuto told her with a wide grin.

"Doctor stuff?" The girl frowned. "Wait, isn't that common sense?" Bokuto shrugged.

"Cold water just tastes better and feels better after a hard day of training in the summer." The third-year grinned. "Besides, I've never gotten sick before!"

"Never?" Haru's eyebrow rose. Bokuto's face scrunched up, thinking hard. The girl couldn't help giggling at that. She liked the loud Fukurodani ace, he was very honest and direct in his feelings and thoughts, which put her at ease. "Cold water is a shock to your insides, which are warm from the work out, Bokuto-san. That's why it's suggested that you take cool or room temperature beverages after training." Bokuto's hand came to give her a hard clap on the back which made her stumble forward.

"Kuroo said you were smart!" that shocked her.

"Kuroo-sempai talks about me?" she murmured, mostly to herself, in shock, but the boy caught her words.

"Of course he does, won't shut up about the new manager," Oh, the position, of course. Haru's heart somehow sank. "At first it was all, new manager new manager. Then, it was oh, she's pretty and exotic. Now, he won't shut about how smart you are or how good your hair looks when you wear it down." Haru's heart did a backflip in her chest and she felt her cheeks blush. "He keeps talking about how you smell like coconuts and coffee."

"C-coconuts and coffee?" Bokuto leaned in, sniffing at her neck, which made her giggle.

"And tangerines, how did that idiot not get that right?" Haru laughed, gathering the water bottles.

"My perfume has tangerines in it." She grinned at the third-year. He took some of the water bottles from her hands and then caught her wrist.

"He really likes you, you know," Bokuto said, looking at her seriously. "But, Kuroo is an idiot and can't make the first move. He's too scared." And after dropping that bomb on her so casually, the ace walked away with a few parting words. "Don't make him hold it in for too long, he'll go crazy." Haru was left blushing and grinning to herself, the whole incident with Megumi already forgotten.

* * *

 **I'll be honest, I'm not happy with this chapter… I think Kuroo was a tad out of character in it… What do you guys think?**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **Moonlightshadowxiii:  
Glad you enjoyed the chapter, even if it was an anguish kind of enjoyment xD  
I hope this chapter cleared Kuroo's motives regarding the date a bit? But, yep, he's totally into Haru and can't help himself xD  
Glad you liked Akari's chapter :D I had so much fun writing her! She's really similar to one of my bffs and always cracks me up :D  
Akari and Kenma xD Gosh, how did I not see how perfect they would be together earlier xD they're gonna be so much fun to write! I honestly think Kenma would be panicking when he gets to the 'meet n greet' part xD Poor thing xD  
Kuroo the Traitor hahahhaah omg xD I'm sorry I feel like I made half of my readers dislike Kuroo with that date scene xD But, poor boy has his reasons… and it's tough having a one-sided love, tbh… I understand him a bit too much xD  
Glad to have you enjoying the story so much, even if it's conflicting feelings xD  
Hope to hear from you again soon :D  
Best! :D**

 **Rosto'sGirl:  
Hi! Thanks for the review :D  
Kenma and Akari hit me out of the blue and they're so cute I just couldn't help myself xD  
I agree. Kuroo is stupid, but he has his reasons for stupidity. I hope this chapter cleared that up a bit :)  
Oh, I thought you'd already read that one? xD It was the drabbles that started this one actually hahahaha  
Soon, I promise :D Especially with this bomb that Bokuto dropped so casually xD  
Best! **

**KirikaAndo:  
Hi! Thanks so much for the lovely comments :D  
Oh, they're appearing now… Maybe it just takes a while for them to register on the site? xD  
Of course she likes him xD Maybe too much? I hope this chapter cleared up as to why Kuroo accepted to go on the date in the first place :) Don't be disappointed in him, he always has good reasons, that scheming captain!  
cheers!**

 **Valen Goncalvez:  
Thanks for the review!  
Akari is the best, isn't she? xD  
Glad you like the new, though unexpected, ship xD**

 **AmIValid2:  
Oh gosh your review made me laugh so much xD Thanks! I'm always happy to keep you entertained, even during Friendsgiving :P  
Yeah yeah, I totally know the feeling! It's like when you're wading into water and the ground just suddenly drops and your stomach goes down with it? xD I promise Kuroo isn't weak xD He has his reasons, the poor sod xD He is **_**kind**_ **:P Well, and maybe a tad ticked off that Haru got driven to school? xD Poor thing, I love him and like support his actions on one hand, but on the other I just want them to** _ **move forward**_ **xD  
Oh, I'm so glad people like this impromptu pairing xD I wasn't planning on it and it just kinda happened, but I like it now and I'm sending that ship sailing without regrets xD They totally complement each other, I agree! She's bubbly enough to keep him entertained :P  
Best!**

* * *

 **Omake:**

Kenma opened his phone, clicking on the new text. It was from Akari.

 _How are you today?_

That seemed to be an awkward conversation starter. He typed a reply back, asking her politely how she was. His phone dinged with the reply almost instantly. It was littered with emoji that somehow seemed to fit the girl.

 _Did you clear up the mess with Haru and Satoshi?_

He typed back, and his phone dinged yet again. Glancing to make certain the teacher was still explaining something on the board and not looking at him, Kenma read the reply.

 _They're not dating. We're free and clear to finally set those two up! Btw, nails this afternoon?_

Kenma smiled at the reply to himself. She didn't forget and wouldn't let him off the hook. He appreciated the attention to detail, even if he was a little anxious about it. Kenma liked people who could pull him by the hand, getting him into situations he wouldn't usually get into. He appreciated the change of pace.

 _After practice. How do you want to set them up?_

The reply, again, took little time. Kenma didn't even look to see if the teacher was paying attention to him this time.

 _I just want to lock them in a room together and wait, but that would be counter-productive. We will have to think up a scheme. Maybe ask them individually to meet up somewhere and just leave them there alone, see what happens?  
Your place? My bothers are home today._

Kenma typed an answer quickly.

 _I'll see if there is a better way, concerning volleyball. It could be easy to get them a task they need to do together for the team and then try to set the situation so they have to talk it out.  
Sure, I'll see you after club activities._

"Kozume, stop texting," the teacher scolded, making Kenma jump in his seat. "You're supposed to know this for the test." Despite the laughter of the whole class and the attention on him, the setter felt that those text messages were worth the trouble.

* * *

 **That's all folks!**


	16. (Friend)ships

**Gosh I had too much fun with this one… Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 16: (Friend)ships**

"This way," Haru took Akari's hand and the girls linked their elbows, heading to the meeting spot.

"So, you can't tell me who it is at all?" Akari grumbled, biting her lip in anticipation. Haru shook her head, but smiled. Nana had told her that she technically, she couldn't _tell_ her friends who she was texting. However, if they met up and Haru happened to have a friend with her, it wasn't breaking the rules of the contract. So, Akari and Haru were heading to pick Nana up, before going to the mall all together to find the perfect dress for the benefit.

"Taniyama Nana!" Akari stood still, her hands going up to her mouth to cover it in absolute shock. Nana was waiting for them in a casual outfit and sunglasses which attempted to hide her identity from the people passing by.

"Haru!" the model greeted with a happy smile and walked over. "And you must be Akari-chan? Haru has told me a lot about you."

"No! Yes!" Akari seemed to be out of functioning order.

"Which is it?" Haru chuckled, looking at her friend. But, Akari only had a wide-eyed look, staring at the beauty in front of them.

"Erm, shall we go to the mall?" Nana suggested, pulling a tad ahead of them.

"I forgive you for neglecting me to text to _Taniyama Nana_!" Akari finally managed to whisper as they headed for the mall, pleasantly chatting with each other. In the end, the girl managed to get over her starstruck shock. She ended up chatting with Nana and exchanging numbers, the two dragging Haru from store to store like a wild force of nature. When it came to clothing, they were both serious, while Haru was a tad laid back.

She preferred simple shirts with maybe puns or funny designs printed on the front and shorts, over the fancy skirts, dresses and tight blouses that her two friends looked at. It seemed like the majority of the outfits they liked were quite daring, if one asked Haru.

"So, how formal is this event?" Nana finally asked, looking at one of the pretty lacy white dresses on the rack.

"Hmmm," Haru titled her head to the side. "It's a suit and tie event, but there was no note about the color of the dresses that women should wear. I suppose as long as it isn't too short or revealing, I'm safe."

"Perfect!" Akari and Nana looked at each other, high fiving gently and giggling to one another. Haru could already feel the dread in her soul from their looks being directed at her.

"It's gotta be something bright-colored," Akari mused, circling her friend.

"White or red would stand out amazingly against her skin," Nana nodded. "We should forego the tackier neon colors because it's formal and go with the classics."

"Or a little black dress!" Akari's finger went up and Nana nodded. Haru sighed as they circled her, making her put her arms up and look at her from all sides like some form of a laser female inspection.

"Short, to show off her legs," Nana commented. "There's quite a bit attractiveness there."

"And we gotta show the best asset, too," Akari made a motion of squeezing much larger breasts than her own, making Nana giggle and Haru blush.

"No cleavage, please!" Haru requested, making the other two girls exchange knowing looks.

"What's our budget, Harucchi?" Akari asked, moving the topic along.

"Harucchi I like that!" Nana piped up. "Can I call you Akacchi then?" She grinned at Akari from her place at the rack where she was souring for a nice dress.

"Of course, Nanacchi!" Akari and Nana seemed to be hitting it off nicely, which could only mean trouble for Haru. The girl went to the rack with long dresses, sifting through them. She pulled out a deep purple one and placed it against her body turning to the mirror.

"Oh, no sweetie, not that one," Nana shook her head. "While purple isn't a bad idea, the floor length is. You need something to accent those legs."

"And heels!" Akari joined them, a satin white piece in her arms. "Here, try this one. And what about the budget?"

"Papa gave me his card," Haru smiled. "We can charge the beauty parlor on it, too."

"Nails!" Nana squealed in happiness.

"Mani-pedi!" Akari joined her on cloud nine.

* * *

In the end, they had scoured almost the whole mall, the two fashionistas not happy with anything they saw. They had decided, though, that the dress would be red and satin, to the knees or so. They had found a perfect set of heels for it, red, as well and a tad high for Haru's liking. They were pumps with a rounded toe part, which the girl liked, and the heel was rather thick, which made them easier for her to walk in.

Then, the three fast friends had gone for some food, unfortunately attracting the attention of other shoppers at the mall. Nana had proven rather professional in handling them. After signing some autographs and taking a few selfies, she'd asked them politely to have a personal day with her friends, and they'd obliged. Then, she'd proceeded to put a picture on her social media of all three girls, with a note that she was helping out her friend to pick a dress and asking that she be left alone to do so. Surprisingly, nobody had bothered them aside from some fingers pointing and muted squealing from the sides.

"So, when is this benefit?" Nana asked, sipping on her shake and leaning back in her chair, legs crossed.

"Day after tomorrow." Haru told her and Akari hummed.

"We can meet up that morning then, and go for the mani-pedis," Nana planned out. "I have a great salon we can make a reservation at, and it's not that expensive. But, we should find the dress today."

"Agreed!" Akari chimed in. "There is a nice little store where I got my black evening gown at just a few blocks away, if you guys are up for the trip?"

"Let's go!" Nana quickly stood, setting the pace. As Akari had said, they only walked for a few minutes before they found themselves in front of the boutique. It had numerous dresses in the windows, showing the glittering gowns on mannequins. "How do I now know about this place?" Nana whined, opening the door and letting them all in.

"It's a family owned shop, so it's a bit small," Akari told her as she entered, going towards the back immediately. "But, they have great things!" Haru let the girls do their magic, waiting with the shopping bags on a bench as they picked out red dress after a red dress, making her try them on.

"Oh, this one!" Akari said as soon as Haru left the changing booth, clapping excitedly.

"It's perfect!" Nana marveled, doing a circle around the younger girl. "Look." She led her to the mirror and Haru had to agree. It was a perfect dress.

"As for jewelry, you should wear that necklace your father got you for your birthday," Akari said, walking over behind Haru. "The one with the pendant that goes low."

"Okay." Haru agreed. It was one of the most beautiful pieces of jewelry she owned and it was truly breathtaking. However, she was always afraid to wear it because it didn't suit her usual style.

"And no hanging earrings," Nana added, watching the reflection of the girl in the mirror. "They will end up taking the attention off your face." Finally, after a few more tips and plans, they paid for the dress and Haru was back in her own clothes, ready to drop the new clothing at the cleaners on her way home. The three girls made plans to meet on the day of the benefit and do their hair and nails, as well as finish Haru's makeup, debating for a minute about the lipstick color. In the end, it would be red, like the dress. Haru was exhausted when they finally said their goodbyes, each going home with her own shopping bags.

* * *

"We can't go to my place again," Yaku told them, shaking his head. "My parents are home and we made a mess last time. We need to wait a bit before we go back there." Kuroo groaned, sitting on the ground in a campfire with the boys.

"Then, Kenma?" the setter quickly shook his head. "Kai?"

"Sorry, Kuroo," Kai told him with an uneasy smile. "I can't take any guests home today."

"What are you guys discussing?" Haru joined them on the floor, sitting in between Yamamoto and Yaku, which made the former go into a weird happy dance.

"We need to sit down and discuss our strategies for the Inter-High, and we can't do that here," Kuroo told her, then sighed. "But everyone who usually hosts can't today."

"You can just use my place, then?" Haru suggested, making Yamamoto fall over, murmuring something about a girl's room. Kuroo hummed, looking at her and thinking.

"We'll probably make a mess."

"It's alright."

"And we'll stay late."

"Fine with me."

"Won't your parents object?"

"They're never home."

"Can we bring snacks?" Lev asked from his spot, leaning a bit forward to block Kuroo and smiling at the girl.

"Sure," Haru grinned back. "I have coffee and juice, but I usually don't buy snacks. If you want to eat, it's best to bring your own things."

"Yes, she eats super spicy stuff." Kuroo groaned, making the boys even more interested.

"You've been to her place before, Kuroo?" Yamamoto seemed to have revived. "I'm jealous!"

"Don't be, you'll be coming over today, won't you?" Haru smiled, giving him a soft pat on the head which made him melt yet again.

"She sure is good at handling the idiot, isn't she?" Kuroo whispered to Kai who nodded with a laugh.

* * *

Haru's home had been invaded, and she didn't mind it one bit. The boys had come over in small groups, all of them bringing snacks, food and drinks. They had been amazed at the size of the home, looking around in wonder, asking the girl about the pictures on the walls and then finally settling in the living room in front of the TV while Haru brought bowls and glasses for their snacks.

"Need a hand?" Kuroo was with her in the kitchen, watching her struggle with multiple items in her hands.

"Please." Haru let him take some of the bowls and glasses, the two carrying them into the loud living room. It was already messy, making Haru grin.

"You don't mind a bit of cleaning up after, do you?" Kuroo asked awkwardly. "I can stay and help out?"

"No, it's alright." Haru smiled up at him. "It's nice to finally have some more people in this house."

"If you say so," the captain smirked and then joined the team on the floor, Yaku already bringing out the small whiteboard, magnets with their names on them and a marker. "Let's get to it, people." Kuroo called for attention and the room quieted, everyone coming closer to pour over plays.

Haru stood on the side for a while, watching them make plans and discuss the best ways to deal with specific situations they hadn't been able to handle in the past. She leaned in the doorway, taking her time to glance at each of the players.

Kuroo and Yaku were leading the meeting, giving scenarios, while Yamamoto and Kenma seemed to be the two sources of ideas. It was surprising to see the setter so involved, always making a comment as to what would be impossible or what could be done better. Lev kept asking questions and Inuoka always asked if he would be able to do anything extra to help in such a scenario. Even Shibayama and Teshiro got involved, without having to be prompted. Finally, Haru wandered away, leaving the boys to their meeting.

It was a few hours later that she was joined by Kenma in her kitchen, where she was doing the dishes and cutting up vegetables for dinner, if anyone was brave enough to try it. Haru looked over where he hopped up onto a barstool and placed his cellphone down on the counter, watching her carefully. She decided to let him talk when he was ready, working on the veggies instead in silence.

"Haru," the setter finally spoke, making her look up briefly before resuming the cutting. "Do you like Kuroo?" The cutting stopped.

"Sure, I like the whole team." She replied, aiming to be on the safe side. What Bokuto had said to her the previous day was still on her mind, but her own self-doubt was holding her back, as always. Kenma's eyes seemed to see right through her words, though.

"Is he special to you?" It surprised her when Kenma didn't take the obvious hint, even thought she was certain that he had noticed her careful wording. The setter didn't miss those small things. Haru sighed, letting go of the knife and leaning on the counter.

"I guess he is," she told him as honestly as possible. "He's very attractive and I always experience something new with him. He's always challenging me and keeps bringing me out of my shell."

"Do you like him?" Kenma asked again.

"Yes," Haru replied, cheeks flushing. "Maybe even more than like."

"Why won't you ask him out then?" Haru sighed. Kenma seemed to be in a very probing mood that day.

"I... have had a bad experience with dating before," she admitted. Kenma nodded to her. "I'm not opposed to the idea, but I don't think I'll be the one to bring it up."

"If he annoys you, I'll deal with him." Kenma gave her a small smile and Haru laughed, sensing that their discussion was done. She resumed cutting the vegetables.

* * *

The boys stayed for dinner after their meeting, some of them brave enough to try the spicy food. Kuroo was the one who asked for it first, cheekily opening his mouth so that Haru would feed him with her chopsticks. And, she didn't disappoint, but took up the challenge. There were comments about how they should just get married already and whines from Yamamoto to feed him, too.

It ended up as a challenge for the volleyball team to try some of Haru's food and not run for the milk like crazy. Yamamoto had failed almost immediately, rushing to the fridge and sweating. Kenma had refused to participate and Yaku had gone a funny shade of red after tasting the spices. Kai seemed to be the winner, as he didn't even react and commented that the food was delicious. Kuroo and him ended up duking it out, taking the spiciest pieces and seeing who would give in first. Finally, Haru had to stop them lest they end up in the hospital.

With a smile, she saw the boys off and reminded them to get suits for the benefit. When they were gone, the girl turned to the pile of dishes in her sink and got to work. She almost didn't hear the front door open because of the water.

"Chihiro-nee-san?" Haru called out. "Is that you?"

"Nope," Haru swiveled around, dropping the mug from her soapy hands. Kuroo's arm shot out, catching it midair. "Careful there."

"Thanks." Haru replied, breathless.

"You really should lock your front door," he scolded her, making her murmur how she was going to, but forgot and how the neighborhood was safe. "Let me help out." Kuroo tossed his bag on the kitchen table and took off his blazer, rolling up the sleeves of his white uniform button-up. Haru thought how it was odd that a boy instantly went from cute to hot as soon as he rolled up his sleeves to his elbows.

"What are you doing here, Kuroo-sempai?" she asked, but still moved to the side, letting him dry the dishes that she'd washed and place them in their spots. "I told you I didn't need help."

"Kenma said he was fine going home alone and I thought we'd left quite a mess for our first visit," Kuroo shrugged. "Didn't seem right to leave you alone to clean up." Haru nodded, handing him the mug once it was rinsed.

"Thanks." The third-year grinned down at her.

"No problem." Haru's heart wouldn't stop beating so loudly that she was certain Kuroo could hear it. But, she forced herself to focus on the task at hand and wash the dishes. They mostly worked in silence, from time to time talking about the club or school, the neutral topics.

"Living room next?" Kuroo asked, drying his hands and following Haru when she nodded to the other room. They both stood at the entrance, looking in.

"H-how?" the girl asked, eyes wide. "I gave them bowls?"

"Don't say I didn't warn you." Kuroo laughed, going into the newly transformed living room. Wrappers, pieces of paper, candy, snacks and everything in between was strewn about the area where the boys had made their campfire meeting. "Say, about that benefit," Kuroo called out, making Haru look at him as they worked to pick up all the larger pieces before bringing out the vacuum.

"What about it?" the girl asked, pulling out a sock from under her couch. It wasn't her sock or Chihiro's either. "How did someone forget this?" She pointed it out to Kuroo who shrugged, opening his trash bag.

"Toss it."

"No way!" Haru threw the sock into the hallway, through the living room door, making a mental note to wash it and then find its owner. "What did you want to ask about the benefit again?" Haru kept picking up the small pieces of wrapping paper all around, before taking a short break, looking at Kuroo.

"Oh, could you tell me more about it? Like, who will be there, what should we do, and so on? I'm going to give the team members who are coming a small breakdown before we go." He was bending over to pick up trash, the white uniform shirt going completely tight over his body. She could see the muscles of his back rolling with each motion, reminding her of all the times she'd seen him changing next to the coaches' bench. That lanky body was awfully deceptive, making one think that there was almost no muscle on the third-year. However, that was quite wrong. Haru had seen that toned torso enough times to be able to imagine it, even under the shirt. She blushed, quickly turning away and focusing on her own side of the room.

"Well, I don't know exactly who will be there," she told him, doing her best to keep her voice steady. "Papa told me to watch for the coach of the National Team for boys' volleyball, as well as the Mikasa representatives. There should also be a number of scouts for big teams in the country and perhaps some foreign ones, so they would be a good spot to start gathering contacts." Then, the girl turned around, seeing Kuroo's frozen, almost nervous form. "Also, I'm going to be on the lookout for all the coaches of the international teams which are in Japan at the moment for volleyball and try to set up a few matches at our level."

"Haru…" Kuroo gulped, making her tilt her head in confusion. "You're intense." He shook his head, dropping his trash bag and walking over, giving her a tight hug. "I'm so glad we got you as our manager!"

"T-thanks." Haru resumed picking up the bits from the floor when Kuroo let her go, returning to silence. It seemed that he had a lot on his mind, so she let him be quiet. It took them a little over two hours to completely clean up and start the washer with her stuff in and the odd socks that had been misplaced, and the two were left standing together at the living room door when they were done.

"Whew," Kuroo wiped his forehead, grinning. "That was quite the workout."

"Right." Haru smiled, putting the vacuum away. "Would you like something to drink before you go?" The boy shook his head.

"If I take you up on that offer, we'll just end up talking for too long and it would go on forever." He laughed as she followed him into the kitchen where he gathered his things and got ready to leave.

"True," Haru smiled. "Thanks for all the help." The girl opened the door and both of them stood still, looking at the street with blank eyes. It was pouring outside. "Umbrella?"

"Don't have one."

"Let me look." Haru closed the door and headed back into the hallway, opening the drawers on the side of the shoe locker, searching. "Ah, darn, Akari took mine last time!" She looked up at Kuroo who started laughing.

"I'll just make a run for it." He shrugged.

"No way!" Haru's hand caught the back of his uniform cardigan, stopping him. "You'll get sick! Right before the benefit and Inter-High, too." She looked down, blushing. "Just stay over."

"Eh?" Kuroo found himself blushing, as well. "I can't impose on you like that, besides, I don't have anything to sleep in."

"It's alright and my brother's stuff is still here, so you can borrow from him." Haru had already made her decision, leading the boy back into her house after locking the door. Somehow, that action had both of them on edge. They were in an empty house, with a locked door, together for the night.

"Thanks." Kuroo followed her up the stairs for the first time, waiting in front of the door as she went into a room and fetched a pajama set from the wardrobe.

"Would you be more comfortable in my room or the guestroom?" Haru asked, handing him the clothes which smelled like coconuts. Must be the laundry detergent, he mused.

"Oya, are you inviting me into your room?" Kuroo teased, delighting in the way the girl's cheeks reddened.

"Guestroom it is." Haru replied icily, walking away. Kuroo's hand grabbed the back of her uniform, stopping her.

"No, no, please, your room." Haru looked up at him, judging his intentions. Kuroo pulled her back, enveloping her in a hug. "C'mon, can you imagine Tora's breakdown when he hears I slept in your room? Let's do it for the giggles."

"Guestroom." Haru replied adamantly, pulling away from the invitingly warm lanky body. But, Kuroo caught her wrist then, making her turn around once more.

"Alright, I'll be honest," he murmured. "You can't tell the team, though."

"I won't." the girl promised and Kuroo replied in a low voice which had her looking at him oddly.

"I don't like sleeping in unknown places alone." Her eyes widened and she fully turned around, grasping his hands.

"Kuroo?" Haru's fingers gently rubbed the warm skin, coaxing him to look up at her. "What's wrong?" He looked to the side, one hand going up to hide his blushing cheeks.

"When I was younger, I was terrified of unknown things," he told her in a low tone. "Like people and places. I got mostly over it, but I still don't like being alone in an unfamiliar place," when she didn't say anything, he laughed, but she could tell that it was a nervous laugh in an attempt to dissolve the tension. "Talk about lame, right?"

"Not at all," Haru shook her head, smiling at him. "Talk about human." She stepped closer, her arms going around his middle to give him a gentle hug. "I'm always wondering if you're actually human, with all your scheming and provoking." Haru raised her face from his chest to look up at him with a small smile. "Definitely human." Kuroo wrapped his arms around her while still holding the pajamas, head falling to her shoulder.

"Don't tell anyone."

"I won't." They separated after a few moments and in absolute silence, Haru took his hand, fingers intertwining and led him to her room. She couldn't help but think how their palms fit perfectly together, his warm fingers longer and larger than hers. It truly was puzzling, how one single conversation with Kuroo could make her like him even more, if that was even possible. She was smitten, she knew, and Kuroo was an idiot who wouldn't make the first move, according to Bokuto. She would have to do something about it herself, then.

* * *

 **Urgh I'm getting the feels xD I'm so high on this pairing xD**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **Rosto'sGirl:  
Oh, you're like me then! I seem to be always late to the party when it comes to the more famous anime and franchises xD I like to let the hype pass, and all the fics to be written, before I dive in xD I was really against watching HQ at first, since I liked only Prince of Tennis from the sports series, but I found their humor **_**insanely**_ **funny. It got me going so bad xD How are you liking HQ? What are your favorite chars? Teams? Do you ship any of the popular yaoi pairings? Hehehhee xD  
I'm sorry! I can't yet xD They're idiots xD They're both idiots. Completely frustrating dumb little shits xD They're so cute together though xD I promise more development soon :D  
Enjoy the teasing potential for now! hahahaha**

 **Moonlightshadowxiii:  
I'm gonna reply to the review from the last chapter here and send the others in PM, alright? :D I feel bad typing a small novel on a chapter hahahahaha You made me so happy leaving a comment for each of the new ones T_T  
Hahahaha I'm glad that it felt like you were watching an anime! That's the best thing an author for anime fanfiction can hearrrr xD I try my best to keep it as HQ feel as possible, but I think I wander over to shoujo or slice of life a lot, too hahahaha  
Satoshi is a good guy, I promise! I know he might seem like the crafty type, but he's a good guy deep down hahahaha Oh, Satoshi can't resist teasing Kuroo a bit xD Definitely coming up at some point :P  
Haru went like down, then up in anger, then down again then up in the end xD So much fun to write! I love giving the typically 'good' characters an unexpected jealous side xD Glad you enjoyed the ride!  
Megumi is hmmm Megumi I guess xD I can kind of understand how she's feeling, though… She went for it, realized that she would fail and then lashed out in anger and jealousy… Not really redemption, but, she has her reasons… I love my OCs, even when they're completely evil hahahhaha I wouldn't be friends with her, though :P  
I think Haru's gonna stay away from Megumi for a while after this incident, though xD Not sure when you'll get revenge slap satisfaction xD I think it's best that Haru doesn't go close to the girl for now, as she does get a bit too intense in her anger :P  
Kenma is awesome in supporting, right? I just love his character so much.. The little introvert doing his best to be a good person! Aaaah, he makes me so happy xD Glad I could make you feel for Haru during that scene, though :P  
Haru is the bigger person in the end, I loved writing that part and I like that you enjoyed it :D I've witnessed many of my girl friends go nuts because of boys and I think that it's a super hard choice to choose the high road. I felt like Kuroo would be the annoying person to give her the choice, though :D  
Kubro and Bokubro are totally my friendship ship xD I can't help it, I love their relationship xD I feel like Bokuto makes the usually calm and collected Kuroo go a bit crazy xD It's super nice and refreshing! Top wingman marks!  
I feel the cliché but like, I also feel Akari just wanting to smack their heads together and yell 'just kiss!' xD She's sailing with the ship as hard as we are hahhahaha They're totally progressing, btw xD Would be funny if they got together before Kuroo and Haru, eh? :P Wouldn't it? xD  
Thanks for getting me obsessing over KnB again T_T I'm promising myself not to go too into it and write this thing instead… I actually have a little Aomine thing I've been writing (he's totally my guilty pleasure, gosh, have you **_**seen**_ **the man!?) maybe I'll get to it at some point after my harder exams are done :D  
Cheers!**

 **Myherogal22:  
Hello and welcome to the reviews (and the story)! We're so happy to have you :)  
I'm glad that you think the story has potential :D I'll do my best to update regularly, but the exams are killing me… I have them this weekend and then the next two, which is making me lowkey depressed xD And then, our official exam season is in January where we have the core subjects… So, I'll do my best, but no promises with update schedules xD  
Cheers! **

**AmIValid2:  
Hiiii! Thanks for the review and the follow on the tumblr :D I'll hopefully have some more stuff uploaded there soon :D  
Megumi and her rumor attack xD It's annoying, but unfortunately girls use that kind of stuff all the time, which is why I made Megumi kind of the representative of those qualities in this fic :P  
I was a bit worried about the rushed feel of the chapter, but I think it worked out in the end xD We're gonna plow right through that hiccup and go on to fluff xD  
Bokuto is urghhhh I love him xD He's super honest and super stupid and also super cool! How do you put all those things together in one person? xD Some amazing character building right there xD And, Akaashi is a perfect foil for him! They make me so happy xD  
Haru honestly needed to be told upfront that Kuroo likes her and Bokuto was the perfect person for it :)  
Oh my gosh you totally saw through me with KenAri! I saw some fanart recently with Kenma's hair in a ponytail, like a tiny arse one, and I **_**died**_ **. It's coming. That scene is coming. I'm riding like crazy on that ship hahahaha  
I'm glad that you're enjoying the story T_T I'm so happy! I'll do my best to have new stuff on tumblr soon :D  
Best!**

 **Madama Crimson:  
Hi! Glad to see you're still enjoying the ride :D  
Bokuto is 100% the best wing man in the series hahahhaha He's the turning point for Haru, to be honest. Like, she's always doubting herself and Kuroo's intentions, so she needs someone to tell her flat out that he's interested in her. I guess that makes Bokuto the final nail? xD  
thanks for the review!**

* * *

 **Omake:**

 _It's on._

Akari opened the message, head tilting to the side. She placed her nail polish down and blew on her fingers to dry it a bit before she replied.

 _What is?_

Kenma replied really quickly, which she adored.

 _I told Kuroo to help Haru with cleaning up at her place after our meeting. There's rain in the forecast later and I have his spare umbrella. They'll be stuck together._

Akari laughed, head falling back. "Oh, Kenma, you're amazing!" She said to herself, typing back.

 _And I took Haru's last time. Strike!_

"Imouto-chan, who're you texting?" Her youngest brother sat down next to her, trying to see the phone, which she quickly hid. "Oh, must be someone important if you're stopping your nail routine for _him_." Akari blushed, grabbing the bottle of polish again.

"How do you know it's not just a friend from school I'm texting?! Doesn't have to be a boy!" She defended.

"But, you always have that grin on your face when you're texting a boy." Her brother smirked.

"I don't!"

"You do!"

"Don't!"

"Do!"

In the end, she didn't reply to Kenma's last message until late that evening, causing them to stay up chatting until the odd hours of the morning. He'd even influenced her to download this new cellphone RPG that he was checking out. She was in his guild now.

* * *

 **Hope you all enjoyed this one!**


	17. The benefit

**I'm panicking, hence, writing. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 17: The benefit**

Haru got up that morning in a state of semi-panic. She instantly recalled that Kuroo had slept over, on a separate bed, thankfully, but still in her room. The whole space smelled of his aftershave. It was a deliciously masculine smell that she never could get out of her head. It was something woodsy but with a clear musk undertone and felt like a fresh breeze in her lungs when she inhaled it. It drove her _insane_. And not in a bad way.

The girl pushed herself up and left her room in only her pajamas, grabbing her cellphone on the way. It was early, just past five, and she cursed the fact that her sleeping pattern had been all messed up due to volleyball practice in the morning. As she passed the bathroom on her way downstairs, Haru heard the water running. So, that was where Kuroo had vanished off to.

She walked into the kitchen and plugged in her cellphone, putting the music to play on shuffle over the speakers. The first few beats of Chan Chan made her smile and Haru was instantly in a good mood, ready to cook some delicious breakfast. Despite the slow rhythm, she kept her body in motion, sliding from cutting to stirring to mixing, the delicious scent of fried vegetables invading every nook and cranny of the house. As Haru was getting ready to prepare the meat that had been marinating in the fridge, she heard Kuroo join her in the kitchen and turned, only to gasp in shock. Then, the girl grasped the knife from the countertop and pointed it at the unknown man standing in her house.

"Who the heck-"

"Woah, woah, woah!" That voice was awfully familiar, but it didn't go with the… hair?

"What the hell happened to your hair?!" Haru placed the knife down, breathing deep to calm her racing heart. Kuroo guffawed his weird laugh and came over to her, joining her next to the stove.

"I always get those reactions after I take a shower," he placed his hands in his hair, wet and surprisingly long when out of its usual position of a bedhead. As Haru watched him, he messed up the locks, putting them similarly to how they typically stuck up on their own. "The water makes it flop over until it dries." He explained, letting go of the hair. Haru inspected how it was falling around his face, oddly attractive and somehow off-guard. She reached up her hand, noticing how he instantly blushed as she did, and she tucked some of the longer strands behind his ear.

"Yeah, it gives me the creeps like this," she told him in a soft voice.

"Don't say it like that!" Kuroo whined, turning around to hide his blushing face. "It'll go back up when it dries, it always does."

"Mystery hair," Haru giggled, turning to the food again. "Then again, I shouldn't really be the one to say anything, should I?" She gestured to her usual tight bun.

"You should leave it down today," Kuroo told her, picking up the spatula that she'd used to stir the rice with and helping. "It looks really nice when it's down."

"O-okay," Haru agreed. "Oh, crap! I have to call the girls and set a time for us to meet up after school!" Kuroo was left in charge of their breakfast and Haru's lunch while she texted quickly. The food was done soon and the two sat down, chatting casually about the plays they were thinking of trying out.

"Have you noticed how Shōhei has a rather pinpoint spike?" Haru asked, putting her glass down. "It's like, he always gets it right where he wants it."

"Oh, yeah, he has amazing aim." Kuroo nodded. Haru smirked at him, pointing her chopsticks with a piece of meat in between them towards him.

"Let's make him aim for the back of the court, right at the line," Kuroo's eyes widened and he grinned right back. "Would totally make the opposing team call an out and we could rack up points easily."

"You're pretty devilish, you know that?" The captain asked, then dived forward, snatching the meat from her chopsticks which were still extended.

"Hey, that was mine!"

"Well, it's mine now."

"Give it back!"

"Sure, come here."

"Hell no!" Haru and Kuroo resumed their breakfast with plenty of arguing in between, snatching the good-looking food pieces from each other's plates.

* * *

"This is heaven," Akari sighed, leaning back in her chair as two women worked on her feet, pampering her.

"For once, I'll agree that a beauty parlor can be heaven." Haru sighed in her own chair, eyes closed and mind drifting lazily.

"We need to do this more often." Nana agreed.

"Preach." The two second-years told her, all three of them sighing in absolute content. When the nails were done, dry and ready, the girls moved to do their hair next. Nana had gotten dirty pink nail polish with sparkling accents on her ring fingers. They looked amazing with her long, natural nails. On the other hand, Akari had gone for the more inconspicuous French style, with a white streak over the parts of her nails that went further than the finger. They were perfect for school, as nobody could complain that they were flashy. Haru had, much to her own embarrassment, gotten a red nail polish without any decorations on her short nails. Yet, the way the ladies at the salon had done them made them look somehow elegant and longer.

"Can you straighten her hair, please?" Nana asked once they were made to sit in the chairs in front of mirrors, three ladies working on their hair individually.

"Of course." The one working on Haru's agreed. "But, you really should nurture your curls, miss. These are some of the most beautiful ones I've seen in a long while and I can tell that you don't have a routine for them," Haru sighed at that. Per Kuroo's request, she'd left her hair down that day, causing laughter and giggles wherever she went due to the bedhead.

"I don't know what to do with them, they just go crazy in random directions." The lady laughed.

"Yes, I see that with many of my curly-haired younger customers," she patted Haru's shoulder gently. "I'll write down a quick and inexpensive routine which you can do to get them to look really good down, alright?"

"Thanks, that would be a huge help!" Haru grinned.

"Woah, your hair is super long!" Akari commented, turning to look at Haru when they were done with the hair treatment. Akari had her own hair in soft waves, complementing the lines of her face due to the super short bob cut she had. Nana, on the other hand, had gone with the fluffy and floaty style of almost beach waves. Haru was the only one whose hair was completely straight, falling past her rear in shimmering lines of dark chocolate.

"it is, isn't it?" The girl frowned, turning to look at herself in the mirror. "I wonder if this will mess up with the way I look in that dress."

"No way!" Nana grinned. "I accounted for it when we were getting the dress. If your curly hair comes down to the middle of your back, the straightened version is about ten centimeters longer. This will be perfect!" The model high fived Akari, a new habit they had picked up.

"Let's go to my place for makeup?" Akari suggested, grinning. She had a whole store of products at her home, Haru knew. She'd been the subject of her friend's experimentation enough times.

* * *

"Don't you look spiffy?" Kuroo turned away from the mirror, blushing at his mother's smirk which resembled his own quite a bit. "Got a date?" She walked over, still in her business clothes and started fixing the tie which he had been struggling with.

"Thanks, I'm just glad that dad's old suit fits me," he watched her hand movements carefully as she tied the knot and pushed it up to his neck, smoothing the red tie down. "I'm going to that benefit that I told you about."

"Oh, that's tonight?" She looked up at him, then reached to attempt to tame his hair. But, it turned out to be a futile try.

"Yeah."

"Well, you look like a proper gentleman, Tetsurō," the woman patted his cheeks and then rose on her tippy toes, giving him a kiss on one of them. "Oh, I was going to ask," the woman stopped at the door, turning to look at him. "Where were you last night? I was a bit worried when you didn't come home, and in that rain nonetheless."

"I stayed over at a friend's place." Kuroo told her, searching through his book bag to get everything he needed. Phone, keys, wallet, some paper and a tiny pen.

"Kenma's?"

"No, Haru's." His mother frowned.

"That a new player on the team?" Kuroo shook his head, his hands checking his pockets to see if they looked too stuffed with all the items he had placed in them. He deemed them acceptable.

"She's our manager." Instantly, his mother squealed.

"A girl!" Kuroo blushed profusely, starting to backtrack, but the damage was done. "Oh, is she pretty? Do you like her? When will I meet her? Gosh, are you being safe?"

"No, mom!" Kuroo was mortified.

"God, Tetsurō, I thought I taught you better!" the woman glared at him. "You're still young and just finishing high school, you should be careful. Do you need money for condoms? You know that there is a morning after pill that you can get at the pharmacy if you have unprotected se-"

"No, mom!" Kuroo interrupted, hands coming up to drag across his positively on fire face and then mess up his hair even more. "I'm not sleeping with Haru or anything. She's our manager and she let me stay over because neither of us had an umbrella and it was raining. She didn't want me to get sick before a big game."

"Hmmmmm," his mother gave him a thoughtful look. "But you like her, don't you? You want to be with her?" Gosh, why was the woman so perceptive? Kuroo supposed that he'd gotten that trait from his mother's side of the family. That was one of the reasons why his mom was such a successful businesswoman, she always picked up on the smallest of details and found ways to exploit them to her company's benefit.

"Yes," he admitted. There was truly no lying to her. There was no use even attempting to.

"Then ask her out?"

"It's not that easy, mom!" Kuroo threw his hands up, the movement oddly restricted by the black suit. "What if she rejects me?"

"What if she doesn't?" His mother gave him a soft look. "Tetsurō, you're a third year now. Next year you will, hopefully, be in college. If you want to date the girl, stop wasting time and man up. I raised you better." She walked over once more and pulled him into a tight hug. "If she rejects you deal with it afterwards." Kuroo couldn't say anything, his brain blowing up with possibilities. "Have fun tonight and be good, I won't wait up." Then, she was out the door. He heard her parting yell from the corridor. "And tell me if you need money for the condoms!"

"Oh, God." Kuroo dragged his hands over his face once more before leaving his room, as well, fancy shoes that went with the suit in hand. He had to hurry if he wanted to pick Kenma up and be on time. Kuroo laced his shoes with the speed only sportsmen had through numerous times they did it in practice and rushed down the street. Kenma, luckily, lived only a few houses down from his own. His father opened the door and welcomed Kuroo in.

"He's upstairs struggling with the suit," the man told him with a smile. "Won't accept anyone's help, and we've already offered. Oh, and he has a _girl_ over!" At that, Kuroo's eyebrows rose. "She arrived just half an hour ago in a rush. She's really pretty." Kenma's father gave him a knowing look. "Do you know who she is, Kuroo-kun?"

"I'm as surprised as you are." Then, Kozume-san pushed him up the stairs and towards Kenma's familiar room, whispering how he needed to find out what the relationship there was. Kuroo tentatively knocked on the familiar door and then entered, met with an unusual sight.

"Stop fidgeting! Oh gosh, you're worse than Haru!" Akari was standing very close to Kenma, doing the buttons of his shirt and fixing it so that it lay well on his chest. The setter looked over to the door, pure agony on his face. I made a mistake, his expression seemed to say.

"Hi, Akari-chan," Kuroo greeted with a smirk, leaning on the doorway. She glanced at him briefly, before her jaw dropped.

"Looking hot, Kuroo-sempai!" the girl giggled, causing Kenma's expression to go from uncomfortable to mildly irritated. If Kuroo had been anyone else, who didn't know the setter as well, he would've missed the change.

"Why thank you, Akari-chan."

"Is it done?" Kenma asked in a flat tone. Akari patted the shirt one final time before fetching the suit top and handing it to the boy.

"Can I tie your hair back?" she asked, grinning. Kenma shrugged and the girl was left to secure half of his dyed hair with a hairband at the back, careful do it very neatly. Then, she moved back, inspecting her handiwork. "Damn, am I good or what? You look amazing, Kenma! Don't you think so, sempai?"

"Indeed, he does," Kuroo couldn't resist giving Kenma a sly look, not missing his reddening cheeks or the awkward way the boy grabbed his cellphone quickly from the nightstand. "Weren't you helping Haru, Akari-chan?" the captain asked as the trio headed downstairs.

"She was almost done when I got the SOS from Kenma. He had some button issues that needed to be sewn quickly."

"Oh, good call." Kuroo nodded. They all said goodbye to Kenma's curious parents, Kuroo sharing a knowing nod with the boy's father. They would talk later, for sure. When they got to the train station they split up, Akari giving them both a hug, fixing Kenma's tie and then wishing them luck. Kuroo turned to his friend as they waited for the train, ready to tease him.

"You like her."

"I don't."

"You do."

"Don't."

"Do."

* * *

The place where the sports benefit was being held was, in short, intimidating. It was one of those fancy hotels with multiple large ballrooms on the ground floor. Kuroo arrived with Kenma just a few minutes before the time they'd set as the meeting hour. They found Yaku, Lev and Yamamoto already there. All three of them looked positively out of their minds, nervous as can be, watching the limos drop off the guests and wincing when they saw how graceful everyone was as they walked up the red-carpet covered steps and into the hotel.

"Worse than before a match, isn't it?" Kuroo asked, attempting to dissolve the tension, but the three, oddly quiet, volleyball players just mutely nodded. The captain sighed, joining them in people watching. Inuoka arrived with Shibayama, closely followed by Kai and Teshiro, the latter struggling with his tie. Kuroo ended up fixing it for the boy, which almost made him cry in joy. The final member to appear was Fukunaga, who seemingly just materialized behind them. Kuroo was glad that they had all color-coordinated without much instruction. The boys were mostly wearing black or grey suits with red details, their school colors.

"I'm sorry I'm late!" Kuroo turned around at the voice only to have all air leave his lungs, like he'd just received a spike straight to the stomach. Yamamoto seemed to be thinking along the same lines, an inhuman sound leaving him as he gaped.

It had to be Haru. The voice and the scent which washed over him in a gentle wave as she came over to their group told him it was her. But, this beautiful girl looked nothing like their manager. From the makeup, the straight long hair and that short red dress which seemed to accent each of her attractive assets, it couldn't be Haru. He was left gaping as the team chatted with the girl, the tension finally dispersing partially.

"You look amazing, Haru!" Yaku gushed, reaching out to touch her hair. "Your hair is so long! You always have it in a bun, I could never tell." The girl shyly smiled, blushing at the numerous compliments.

"The girls helped me get ready," she told them, then looked from one to the other of the boys with a smile. "You guys clean up pretty well, too!" There was blushing, wiggling, denying, but all Kuroo could do was _stare_. That dress that seemed so tight around her front, showing off her generous chest billowed around her wide hips and then stopped at the knees, giving a nice view of her legs. He'd seen her in a shorts before. Heck, he'd glimpsed her naked form basked in moonlight. Yet, this… this ought to be illegal.

"You'll catch flies like that, sempai," Haru reached over, one finger pushing his jaw up to close his gaping mouth with a devilish smirk, making the whole team laugh. Then, she tucked a strand of her long hair behind her ear and grinned at them all. "Let's go in?"

When she turned, Kuroo forgot how to walk. Her back was completely exposed, the back of the dress held together only by a few crisscrossing strings of red material. It made swallowing kind of difficult and he just wanted to touch the soft skin he could see.

"Are you going to be okay?" Kenma asked him, hanging back so that Kuroo's legs could catch up with his non-functioning brain.

"No." Kuroo replied, sounding oddly strained.

* * *

The ballroom where the benefit was being held was positively humongous. It gave the boys the feel of the National's gym, but they all knew that a different kind of game would be played on the podium. All the chairs and round tables were arranged in small groups on the side, leaving the middle open. Already, some people were sitting down and chatting and others were standing, drinking from tall glasses and exchanging stories.

"So, here's the plan," Haru told them in a quiet voice after they entered. "Split up into smaller groups, find volleyball people in this crowd and chat them up. If you can get a card, that's perfect. If you can arrange a match or get scouted, even better." She looked to the boys as they nodded, each picking their partner for the hunt. "Go!" Haru gently clapped her hands together, watching them vanish into the crowd in groups of two or three. She stood still for a second, battling with her own nerves. "Get to work, Haru." The girl said to herself and then flicked a piece of her hair back, walking into the crowd.

She had done some research before coming to the benefit, looking at pictures of some of the more important people who would be there. The first group that was familiar whom she saw ended up being the Mikasa representatives. She casually joined the conversation of the group which was talking about the economy and the expansion of their companies in the West. As soon as they heard her last name, they were rather eager to talk to her, as well. She ended up getting a card from one of the representatives before she politely excused herself and continued hunting.

As Haru passed through the crowd, she met up with different people, talking casually or simply listening. The Brazilian and Cuban under nineteen groups proved to be the most interesting to talk to. The coaches of the boys' teams were surprised when she switched languages swiftly, talking to them in their native tongues. They had exchanged cards and promised to set up a match with Nekoma if there was time during their busy schedule while in Japan. Haru walked away from a great victory there, smiling to herself.

"How's it going?" She found Kai and Fukunaga standing at one of the tall tables, looking tired and rather depressed.

"I got some contacts, what about you guys?" Haru showed them the couple of business cards she'd already collected in her purse.

"I feel like I'd rather do after-practice practice with Bokuto-san." Kai sighed and Fukunaga nodded. Haru giggled at that. Then, she spotted a rather easy target.

"There, join that group," she told the two. "That's the wing spiker from Korea who just got an award for his gameplay. You should be able to talk to him about the game easily enough and he speaks Japanese." Kai nodded and the two were off, slowly joining the group.

Haru kept walking around, mingling casually. She met one of the top three spikers in Japan, Ushijima Wakatoshi, whom she wasn't sure she was fond off. Their conversation kept dropping on his side, despite how hard she tried. Finally, the girl walked over to the table where her team had gathered, talking to each other and a couple more players who didn't seem comfortable in their suits, either. She recognized two of them as the libero and the setter from the Chinese under twenty-one team, but she didn't know the last one. They all seemed to be struggling to talk to each other in English, which made her smile.

"Hi boys!" Haru greeted with her clear American accent. "How's everyone doing?" the Chinese players greeted her and the Nekoma boys seemed rather relieved to see her.

"Honestly, I can't keep up with all the people here," Yaku admitted, grammar clear despite the accent.

"Hate events like this, too." The Chinese libero piped up, groaning. "So much talk, not enough play."

"True!" Yamamoto agreed and the boys laughed together. Well, at least they'd made some friends, Haru thought with a smile. She was about to sit down then the music started. Instantly, the people from the floor cleared, letting those who wanted to dance choose their partners. Servers appeared from all sides, bringing out food to each of the occupied tables.

"Anyone want to dance?" Haru asked, looking from one boy to the next. Before any of them could rise up to her challenge, someone walked up behind her.

"Miss, would you care for a dance?" Haru turned at the Spanish, a little shocked that someone had assumed that she spoke the language. But, when she spotted the face and the tan skin, she smiled, accepting the extended hand.

"Of course." And the tall, built man led her out onto the dance floor.

"Who's that?" Yaku asked, craning his neck to see better. Haru was dancing a slow waltz with the unknown man in his late forties, looking rather comfortable.

"You not know?" The Chinese libero looked shocked. "Caballero representative, from their hospital." He told the oblivious group. "He best for all sports injuries."

"Caballero?" Kuroo asked, speaking up for the first time since Haru had joined them. His brain seemed to be malfunctioning around the girl more than he liked it to. "A relative, then?"

"Maybe." Yaku nodded and the boys all turned to watch as Haru laughed in the arms of the older man. He spun her around elegantly and she came into his hold without a single stumble. Kuroo couldn't help feeling a tad jealous of the image. He cursed his inability to dance. The group he was sitting with picked up their discussion about volleyball, but he was too far gone, watching Haru twirl and move with fascination.

The dress would billow around her thighs, showing off just a bit more skin whenever the man delicately spun her. It left Kuroo's throat somehow dry. He couldn't get over the way her hair looked, so straight and soft, moving in tune with her body. When the music switched, he saw her laugh and he wished that he was the one holding her, making her giggle like that.

"What're you thinking about, captain?" Yamamoto asked from his right, following Kuroo's line of sight and sighing in absolute bliss when he spotted their manager dancing.

"Learning how to dance might not be as lame as I thought it was." Kuroo told him quietly, Yamamoto nodding to that statement.

* * *

 **I'm sorry if there are any spelling mistakes in advance. I'm dead tired and need a few hours of sleep before the exam tomorrow…  
Thoughts on Kuroo's reaction to Haru? Btw, idk why but I imagine Haru with her hair down similar to the style Leigh-Anne Pinnock has in Woman Like Me… I have issues.**

* * *

 **Reviews:  
**

 **Valen Goncalvez:  
Glad you enjoyed that bit of the chapter xD I loved writing them all awkward at the end hahahhaha  
Best!**

 **KirikaAndo:  
Thanks for the reviews!  
Gosh he was OOC wasn't he? Grrrr that scene felt wrong any way I wrote it… I need to go back and try to make it better…  
Bokuto is the MVP yessss xD  
Akari chummy enough with Kenma already? :P  
Kuroo making the first move? Maybe… We will see yet!  
Best :D**

 **Rosto'sGirl:  
Thanks for the review!  
Noya omggg I love Noya too much xD Asahi is super nice! I love how they made his character, so interesting!  
I adore how you've seen Nekoma once but you're already reading a fanfic about him. Top marks! I did the same xD  
Omg omg, the pairings are all like setter and captain xD Jesus, somehow all of them fit perfectly though!  
Cheers!**

 **AmIValid2:  
I write because I am out of my mind with pre-exam anxiety xD I've gone nuts. Don't do this coping mechanism, it's bad xD  
But, here is a way to do chapters rather quickly: 1) fix the amount of words per chapter – mine is 4k 2) make a solid plan about how you want your story to flow and follow it, more or less – this will keep you from getting stuck when you go all 'I don't know what should happen next' 3) Keep your motivation and inspiration up! – either read or watch the franchise you're writing for, maybe have a playlist for it (I do omg xD) hope that helps!  
Getting hot? More like hot and domestic! Urgh, domestic scenes are my food.  
KenAri is my ship. It's sailing. I'm shipping that so hard right now it's insane. Like, from the scheming to the plotting to the comfortable and easy to sheer awkwardness when they're together? Urgh, gimmie!  
So glad you like my ships T_T  
I'm procrastinating. It's done. I'll hopefully do well, I don't even know anymore. I can't look at the material any longer…  
Best!**

 **Moonlightshadowxiii:  
Thanks for the review!  
gosh, I love writing the girls together! Haru needs someone to gang up on her and make her make an effort, if that makes any sense xD  
Ichhi is totally Kise vibessss Kise all the way xD But, I've noticed that honorific with many close friends who are girls, so I gave Akari that trait :D  
I hope that Kuroo seeing Haru dolled up didn't disappoint? I was with him the whole time, like, I'm sorry for doing this to you, but you need it man. Keep in mind that Haru's dad is rather well-off, unlike our broke arses xD I'm jealous too!  
ooooh, I hate it when people leave a mess at my place when they leave xD Like, the worst things are the crumbs. Like, if someone trails them all over my bed or floor I-Will-Know. Like, I will. It's a sixth sense and it gives me a total rage moment until it's all clean again xD  
Haru loves her crazy boys :P Kenma is super sweet. I love Kenma. I need more Kenma in my life.  
Hahahaha glad to make you hungry!  
Awwww you made me laugh with your comment about the ending of the chapter with Haru and Kuroo xD They are squeal worthy, though :P Kuroo would deflect with humor and teasing, wouldn't he? I felt like that scene ended up super perfect! I'm so happy with it T_T Glad that you liked ittt! Though, we will see yet who makes the first move… hehehehehe not getting together yet those two xD  
Kenma and Akari crack me up so badly. Like, they're such a weird matchup, yet they fit so well. I love writing them and I'm super glad that you're enjoying their scenes together!  
No no no no no I shan't obsess over KnB. No KnB. Dammit, I'm watching it tomorrow probably. Daaaaarnnnnn!  
Aomine is like the arse you forgive because he's hot xD So unhealthy xD But, did you see those flashbacks before he went all GoM? He was super cute!  
Best!**

* * *

 **Omake:**

Kuroo scrolled through the pictures on his phone, smiling. There was one of the whole team in suits in front of the hotel, their manager in the middle. Then, there were a few with the Chinese players inside the ballroom. There was even one with the coach of the Japanese Olympic Team. But, there was one which he treasured the most. It was an image of Haru, not looking at the camera but talking to someone who wasn't in the frame. She was pushing her hair behind her ear, eyes sparkling and mouth in a wide smile.

"What are you looking at?" The girl in question asked him, leaning forward from her train seat to see better. Kuroo smoothly showed her the picture of the team on the steps.

"We look good, don't we?" Kuroo grinned as Kenma yawned from his right.

"We sure do!" Haru grinned.

"Happy with your hunt?" Kuroo asked her with a smile.

"Ecstatic!" The girl smirked, opening her purse. "Look!" Kuroo leaned forward, seeing the numerous business cards inside. He gaped.

"I… really can't keep up with you." He told her honestly, making her laugh in mirth.

* * *

 **That's all folks!**


	18. Good things

**For all those interested in more trivia about the fic, another Bedheads post will be coming on tumblr soon :D  
Exam is over, I did 18/20, we will see how many of those 18 are correct, though xD Next test is next weekend. Time to stress some more and type xD**

* * *

 **Chapter 18: Good things**

His hands were actually touching that hair. It was loose and curly, just the way he loved it best. It felt like heaven under his fingers. Soft, tangling around his hands. It smelled so strongly of coconuts, coffee and something citrusy. It was positively intoxicating. Every so often, his hands would glide over a quite defined curls which flowed like water over the pads of his fingers. He was on cloud nine.

"Kuroo," Haru turned her head, giving him a tentative look. "Stop messing up my hair." He chuckled and pulled the curls to the side, leaning down and pressing a gentle kiss to the nape of her neck, right above the red strings of the sinful dress she was wearing.

"Sorry," he didn't even mean it. He'd waited so long to able to touch that hair that he didn't even care if he was messing it up and getting it all tangled up. His fingers were trembling when he reached for the straps of the dress, gently pulling them down her smooth shoulders. She had such soft skin. It was like hot chocolate mixed with milk, yet plush to the touch and so warm. She exhaled and he felt it due to their bodies being pressed together. The dress slid down her form, his hands following its path with faint touches. She stepped out of it and turned, finally facing him.

Kuroo took a shaky breath. Haru had red lingerie on, almost glowing on her form due to the color contrast. With the messy hair and the wide chocolate eyes she definitely looked like some exotic Goddess. Cursing himself for thinking like Yamamoto, Kuroo tried to figure out where to put his hands first. But, the girl solved that dilemma for him.

"Touch me," she sighed in a low tone and took his hands with her cooler ones, briefly intertwining their fingers before she left him holding her waist. He gently kneaded the soft flesh there, delighting in the way she sighed at the action. "Kuroo," that got him to look at her eyes again. She seemed impatient. "Kiss me already."

He didn't need to be told twice. Kuroo leaned down, accommodating for her shorter stature, her lips rising to meet his halfway. The kiss was painstakingly slow, gentle and made him groan into her mouth as she led it and he let her. Her short nails scraped the back of his neck, pulling on his hair and wandering down to his shoulders, before going back up. His mind was in a frenzy and he felt too hot. Everything was too hot.

"Kuroo," she whispered against his lips when they separated, feeling the words more than hearing them. Her soft curves felt so good pressed against his toned body. "I need you." He unraveled at her words, going to kiss her again, this time in a different way, more demanding, more aggressively.

His alarm was ringing. Kuroo opened his eyes, then closed them again. He was alone, in his bed, at home. The boy groaned and sat up, immediately noticing the effect his rather inappropriate dream had had on him.

"Fuck." There was nothing else to say but that. Kuroo sat for a moment, hands on his face, trying to calm his breathing down. It had all felt too real. It had all smelled to real. She had been so _real_ in his arms. He was in _big trouble_ , Kuroo decided with a groan. He tossed his covers away and took his phone with him, checking the time as he walked towards the bathroom. Waiting or fixing it, he mused, finally deciding on the latter. With the early hour on a Sunday, his mother wouldn't be up for a few more hours. He had time to both deal with his obvious problem and get the breakfast done.

The bathroom door closed behind him and Kuroo locked it, sliding down against it to the single round carpet they had put in about two years ago to collect the water from the shower. His hand went into his underwear, ready to go back to his dream in his head and continue it through his personal fantasies. Then, his phone rang. Kuroo grabbed it with the free hand, answering without looking at the ID.

"Kuroo, I need you." The third-year balked. It was Haru's voice. Haru's voice sounding strangely strained.

"Errr what?" Really intelligent, Kuroo, the boy thought to himself.

"This lady gave me some stuff for my hair at the salon and I think I messed it up," Haru kept talking, not realizing what her voice was doing to him. "Kenma told me the other day that you know how to use those things and Akari is busy today. Please, help me." Kuroo looked at his hand in his boxers before sighing and taking it out. Ignore until it goes away, it is.

"Can you come over?" He asked the girl, getting up with a low groan and heading for the sink.

"Sure, if you're close to Kenma's I can be there in a few minutes." She sounded happy now.

"Yeah, just three houses up," Kuroo told her and looked at his reflection in the mirror. He was a mess. "I'll text you the address."

"See you soon," and the line cut off. The third-year boy leaned on the sink, sighing.

"You're gonna be the death of me, Chiharu." He told his reflection, which seemed positively exhausted and tortured.

Kuroo managed to kick himself into operational mode rather quickly texting the girl his address, washing his hands, face and brushing his teeth. He contemplated getting dressed, but decided against it. It was _his_ house and she had called _him_ that early in the morning. She could deal with the consequences of seeing him in his sleeping clothes. At least he wore boxers and a T-shirt to bed during summer, unlike Kenma who preferred to sleep in the nude, which Kuroo had unfortunately discovered one morning.

The doorbell rang just as he was going downstairs to get some coffee, at least, and he changed directions. Thankfully, his hormones had decided to take a chill pill meantime. Haru stood on his porch looking rather nervous, in a pair of shorts and a white T-shirt. Her hair was down, but in a braid down her back. She had a bag in her hands.

"Oh, crap, did I wake you up?" The girl asked, looking at his state of dress and hair. He could swear that she had a blush on her face.

"Nah, I was already up," Kuroo motioned for her to enter and she did. She toed off her sneakers and followed him into his kitchen where he got them both a cup of coffee. "Sugar and milk?"

"Both, thanks." Haru looked a little on the awkward side, standing there, waiting for him to finish. Kuroo grabbed their two mugs and nodded for her to follow him.

"What were you having issues with?" He asked as they entered his room, noticing how she took a second to look around. Kuroo immediately cursed himself for not cleaning up more. There were books and papers around his desk, his volleyball stuff just tossed in a corner, a few magazines on the floor and his bed was still a mess from sleeping.

"Well, I got everything that she told me to get," Haru walked over to the bed, putting her bag on it and opening it. Multiple bottles came out and Kuroo walked over to inspect each of them. He did his best to ignore the fact that Haru was standing centimeters from his unmade bed. "Her instructions were clear, but it didn't really work. Look." Then, the girl undid her braid and he instantly saw the problem. The curls were more defined, but they lay flat on her head, like they had been oiled down with something.

"Let me see that paper," Kuroo extended his hand for the instructions and when her fingers brushed his as she gave it, he briefly saw that back in the red dress, his hands going down her smooth shoulders as he stripped her. He forced himself to read the instructions on the paper. "Oh, you're supposed to do this first," he showed her the line which she should substitute for another. "Then this. And also add a moisturizer. Do you have one?" He went to his desk to make a note on the instructions.

"What is that?" Haru asked, looking through the bottles. "Is that one of these?" Kuroo gave a small chuckle, walking over and checking out the products she had again. There wasn't a moisturizer there.

"Nope," He straightened then looked at the obviously miserable girl. "I have one, if you don't mind smelling like a total guy?"

"Not at all," Haru giggled. "Besides, you always smell nice." Kuroo blushed, looking away.

"Alright," he banished the thoughts which were wandering back to his dream. "Take off your clothes, let's do this."

"W-what?" the girl asked, blushing and looking up at him with wide eyes.

"Well, unless you're going to shower with your clothes on?" He smirked, deciding to not let the opportunity pass. "I can help you with stripping, of course."

"Sure, would you like to take off my shirt of my shorts?" Kuroo chocked seemingly on nothing, coughing and blushing, looking at the girl incredulously. She was smirking at him. Well, that was a different change of pace in their usual banter. It was typically him teasing her and her retorting with yelling or smacking, sometimes even ignoring. This, however, was her teasing back. Kuroo liked it more than he should've.

"You can wash your hair at the sink if you flip it over your head and we pull the showerhead from the bath, c'mon." He led her into the bathroom, taking the bottles he needed for the wet stage with him. Haru followed with a cocky smirk he planned to wipe off her smug face.

* * *

"Tetsurō, are you up already?" His mom didn't knock when she entered his room, stopping short at the door, shocked still. The two teens turned awkwardly to her, both wide-eyed and blushing. Kuroo knew how it looked. He'd had Haru sit on the floor in front of him, in between his legs, while he was on the bed, still in his sleepwear. It was the easiest way to access her hair comfortably, his fingers tangled in it with product on them, massaging it into her scalp. What he hadn't considered was the fact that the girl was turned towards him, making the whole thing look rather intimate. "Oh." The woman slowly stepped back, closing the door and leaving.

"Oh, God." Kuroo groaned, making Haru raise her head to look up at him.

"Are you going to get in trouble?" She giggled.

"No, but I'll never hear the end of this one." He kept working the product into her hair before taking one of the clean cotton shirts he'd prepared, scrunching up her hair bottom to root. "She is rather adamant about me bringing a girlfriend home sometime soon. She won't get off my case about you for at least a month." Haru couldn't help bursting into laughter.

"I think my mom would go insane if I brought a boy home while she is there," the girl told him. "She's always saying how I'm not dating and that's bad for me. She keeps telling me how many boyfriends she had and what she was already doing at my age."

"Oh, God," Kuroo groaned. "Someone save us, really." Haru nodded. After a few moments, he gathered enough courage to ask. "So, you're not opposed to dating?" The girl gave him an undefinable look, but answered rather honestly in his opinion.

"Well, not really," she slowly spoke as he switched up the work he was doing on her hair again. "I mean, I've never dated anyone before." Kuroo couldn't stop himself from faltering in his movements, which Haru noticed. "I know, it's weird. But, I was never confident enough I think. After I went into puberty, I got asked out a few times as a joke or purely for… you know…"

"Ah, I get it," Kuroo nodded. "That must be crippling." He mused, then quickly elaborated. "I mean, if I was a girl and that happened to me, I'd probably end up doubting every single guy who flirted with me." He noticed the girl go quiet and then decided to continue talking, attempting to make her at least a bit more comfortable. "I've been asked out a few times and I dated once, in my first year at Nekoma."

"Really?" Haru was talking again, which was a good sign. "I would've thought you had had more relationships?" Kuroo laughed.

"It's the popular opinion," he shrugged. "I guess I just give off some Casanova vibe I can't really help it." Haru laughed, smacking his knee gently.

"Way to be humble."

"Hey, just being honest," Kuroo told her with a chuckle. "But, it's hard to fit a relationship into my schedule. Between volleyball, school and I used to work part-time in a café in my first two years at high school, there really was no time. That's why that relationship I told you about got messy. We were both kind of busy and drifted away." He knew that he needed to stop talking about his ex, but the way Haru was looking at him, like she was drinking in every single word, made him continue. "Just didn't work out."

"Maybe it wasn't meant to be?" she asked in a small voice. "Like, I look at my parents sometimes. They've been married for nearly twenty years, both working out of the country and they somehow make it work. I think… If it's meant to be it's worth working for it." Kuroo wondered if she was hinting at working at a potential relationship with him even if he wasn't in Nekoma anymore the following year. He wanted that to be the case, but with Haru, he wasn't sure of anything. She was the unknown. The mystery. The absolute mindboggling enigma that he couldn't help but be enticed by.

"Yeah…" He mumbled.

* * *

"Haru-chan, is it?" Kuroo's mom seemed rather nice in Haru's opinion. She was a tall woman, just a tad shorter than her son, with long black hair and those same amber eyes that Kuroo had. She always had a knowing smirk on her lips, as well, reminding the girl of the third-year. "You must stay for breakfast, please."

"It's nice to meet you," Haru bowed, blushing as she could only guess what the woman thought of her, due to the scene she'd witnessed that very same morning. "Thank you for having me, Kuroo-san." Kuroo guffawed behind her.

"Oh, no need to be so formal, Haru-chan," the woman gave her son a stern look, which instantly made him stop laughing. "I'd love it if you called me Kaa-san or Junko, but if you must address me by my last name, it's Yoshihara."

"O-oh," Haru was blushing profusely. "I'm sorry for assuming." She bowed again, her hair falling to hide her red face. Kuroo seemed on the verge of laughing again, but managed to hold it in because of his mother's glare.

"I'm surprised Tetsurō didn't tell you," Junko said, continuing to set up the table. "His father and I have been divorced for a while now."

"Mom, there's really no need-"

"No, sempai," Haru looked at him smugly, shutting him up successfully. "I'd like to hear the whole story, if it's not too much prying, Junko-san?" Oh, he looked ticked off. It made her even more smug, despite the sheer ridiculousness of the circumstances.

"Oh, well, it was what?" Junko stopped to think for a moment. "I believe ten years ago? We divorced after living apart for a long time. I came to Tokyo because of Tetsurō, you see. His father _insisted_ that they _had_ to move here, and then picked up and followed his work after only three years." Kuroo gave her a look which plainly said 'look what you've done now'. Haru shrugged, telling him that she wanted to know. He shook his head, but placed their coffee mugs on the table and went to help with getting the breakfast ready. Haru choose to give Junko a hand, who was still talking. "It was silly, of course. Moving the boy just after he'd made friends here. I transferred to Tokyo and bought a house nearby so that Tetsurō could stay within his circle of friends. I got custody the following year and it's been perfect ever since!"

"Mom, I think that's-"

"So, what's your family like, Haru-chan?" This time it was his mother who cut him off and Kuroo wondered why in the world he had told the girl to come to his place. It would've been so much less trouble for everyone if he had just gone to hers.

"I technically live with my parents and sister," Haru began talking, also ignoring him, so he focused on his breakfast. Perhaps, some good could come out of this if he got to learn more about the girl in the process. "But, my sister is in college and she works as a model, so she isn't home often. My bother has his own place and my parents travel a lot on business. Most of the time the house is empty and it's just me."

"Oh, poor thing," Kuroo's mother extended her hand, comfortingly putting it over Haru's. "You can come over whenever you want, right Tetsurō?"

"Right." Kuroo agreed through the eggs and rice, smirking at Haru. He would love to see her wiggle out of that one. Though, when he looked at the girl, he saw her eyes misty and with a quick nod, she thanked his mother. Perhaps, this had been more than just gang-up-on-Tetsurō fest. Perhaps, it was a good thing.

* * *

"Harucchi!" Akari waved getting the girl's attention. "And, Kuroo-sempai?" Kuroo walked behind Haru, his tall frame hard to miss. He raised a hand in greeting.

"Yo!"

"You came to watch, too?" Akari asked, turning to Haru with a questioning look.

"I invited him," she looked at Kuroo slyly. "You don't mind coming to support Ikki with us, do you _Tetsurō-kun_?" A brief look of annoyance flashed across the third-year's face, followed by a teasing smirk.

"Not at all, _Haru-chan_ ," he retorted, making Akari sigh silently. They were back at it. "We should get some snacks so we can share, don't you think? I'd _love_ for you to feed me again."

"Why _of course_ , Tetsurō-kun." But, something was different. Akari followed the two as they bantered in a flirting manner. It was different from before. Haru was pushing back, this time not with embarrassment or anger, but with flirtation. It was _very_ different.

"Oh, get married already, crazy bedheads." Akari mumbled to herself.

* * *

Ikki hadn't lied about being a starter. He was one of the only second-years who played in the first line-up, as a point guard. He did a brilliant job of controlling the game, signaling his team and directing them to be where they needed to in order to receive passes fluidly. The two girls would jump and cheer at all of his good plays and sigh or groan when the other team outplayed them. Kuroo seemed borderline bored, but got into the game during the second half. He started cheering with them, as well. But, what Akari noticed he did the most was pull Haru to himself and whisper something into her ear which she nodded to.

"Are you two really flirting mid-game?" Akari pulled Haru to her to whisper into her ear over the yelling of the crowd. The girl blushed, but replied in a similar manner.

"Kuroo noticed something about the way the basketball players used their steps to get to places quicker," she told her friend. "Also, about their jumps. We're going to try and use it in our practice." Akari sighed, shaking her head.

"Do you two volleyball freaks ever stop working?" She spoke loud enough for the both of them to hear, to which they only grinned to each other at and shook their heads.

In the end, Ikki's team won with a score of 85-72. It had been a close game the whole time, but they had managed to widen the gap at the very end, a third-year scoring quite a few points from the outside, shooting threes. The girls cheered, pushing through the leaving crowd as they gushed about the match, heading for the Nekoma changing room. Kuroo followed them, piping up every once in a while to add a comment.

"Ikki!" The boys in the changing room were in various state of undress when they burst in, trying to cover up quickly. But, the girls didn't pay them any mind, going for their friend to give him a hug, despite the sweat. "Congratulations! You were great!" The three friends jumped around in a weird three-way hug.

"I'm sorry about them," Kuroo bowed slightly to the captain, another third-year whom he knew in passing.

"Ah, we're used to them at this point." The boy replied, waving the apology off with a smile.

* * *

Monday came all too quickly for Haru. She was still tired from the rollercoaster which had been the previous day. After messing up her hair, begging Kuroo to help her, meeting his mother and then Ikki winning the game and taking them with the whole team out for food, she was exhausted. Her morning routine was quick and she seemed to be in school all too quickly, without seeing Kenma or Kuroo on the train. The practice went smoothly, the captain instructing the team to pick up the basketball moves he had seen during the game. He had also, together with Haru, talked to Fukunaga about aiming his spikes for the back of the court. During the practice a lot of them ended up being an out, but the second-year was getting better and better as the training continued.

It was during her second class that Haru saw something that completely recharged her energy. She spotted one of the girls in her class with a popular magazine that covered beauty routine topics. But, what caught Haru's attention was the photo on the cover. It was the picture she had taken of Nana, jumping to do a beautiful arabesque in the middle of the busy street, headlights illuminating her form and long hair.

"Sorry, can I look at that for a second?" She asked the girl who wasn't reading the magazine, but talking to her friends.

"Oh, sure." And Haru accepted the paper, looking at the title.

 _Taniyama Nana gives us an insight into her beauty routine!_

Haru flipped the pages to the article, her eyes widening. All the photos which had been used on those pages were from their studio. There was a shot she'd taken of Nana outside, evening light illuminating her from behind as she leaned on a bench at the park, smiling softly. Another one was a picture Satoshi had been in charge of, showing the dancer in her training clothes, stretching. The final one was of the girl in a white blouse, holding a candle that seemed to make her look somehow ethereal. They were all Haru's or Satoshi's photos. The girl looked at the fine print at the bottom, showing the name of their studio as the artist of the images. Her heart soared as she gave back the magazine, all of those hours of tedious work paying off in a single edition.

"Did you see?" Akari asked her excitedly during their last period, showing her the cover of the magazine on her phone. "I was just browsing and I saw it! I knew it was one of yours immediately!"

"I saw it earlier!" Haru couldn't stifle her excitement, the two girls hugging. "Can you believe it, the cover?!" Akari began jumping, hugging the girl, then clutching her phone, then hugging the girl again.

"Oh, this is great, Haru!"

"What is?" Ikki joined them at their table and Akari quickly gushed to tell him about Haru's new success. All the girl could do was grin stupidly, which wouldn't seem to go away no matter how much she tried. Finally, her work had paid off. Maybe, just maybe, she would be noticed for her shots. Maybe, she could build her career. Maybe, she could do what she wanted for once in her life.

* * *

 **Oooh, gosh, this was such a KurooxHaru centered chapter… I hope yall enjoyed it! Developments developments!**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **KirikaAndo:  
thanks for the review!  
To be honest, writing keeps me from panicking about my exams a lot, which helps tonsss xD Though, some of the chapters are typed in a rush, but I hope they don't feel too fast-paced xD I need a breakkkkk from everything xD  
Glad that you had fun with the chapter! They were all totally wearing Nekoma colors xD Like, Haru was color-coordinating, even though Nana and Akari picked the dress.  
Soon, there will be more developments and fun :P  
Cheers! **

**Milo21:  
Welcome back! Glad to see that you're still reading and having fun with this story :D  
thanks so much! I do my best to keep my writing readable and coherent, despite my messy ideas xD Glad that it comes out well :)  
I'm not sure how I did on the exam yet, should know sometimes in the next two weeks xD  
Cheers! **

**Rosto'sGirl:  
On one hand, it's good, to be honest. Like, you know what you like to read about and it gives you an idea as to what will happen in the future. However, it's bad cause – spoilers, as River Song would put it xD  
I ship IwaOi too much. Like, I'm super going down with that ship it's soooo bad xD  
I must admit that I'm not a big fan of Asahi and Noya as a ship, but I do appreciate them individually! I can see where the ship comes from, though xD  
Kuroo? He more like needs a shove. Kick in the back. Someone to push his and Haru's faces together and yell 'just kiss!' xD  
Hope you enjoyed more Kuroo torturing xD**

 **Valen Goncalvez:  
hahahaha omg your review made me crack up so bad xD Yes, that's exactly how it went xD Restart totally failed xD Poor Kuroo…**

* * *

 **Omake:**

 _Something's different._

Kenma frowned at the text he received, re-reading it a few times before he decided to just honestly express his confusion. It seemed to work best with the girl in question.

 _About?_

He waited for the reply, re-checking his phone multiple times. He was sitting at home, in front of his TV, a controller in his lap. He didn't return to the game for a while, waiting for the message. Then, he pushed his hair back, remembering how her hands had felt when she had pulled it back into a half-ponytail. It had been nice. Rather nice.

 _Kuroo-sempai and Haru, something's different._

Kenma mused, looking at the letters. Different, eh? Something was different. What had happened? His mind went over the past few days, circling around the events and what the two in question had done. What had triggered it? How was it different?

 _How so?_

He texted. Just as he was about to give up on waiting for the reply and pick up his game again, his phone dinged.

 _She's flirting back!_

Kenma's eyes widened. He stared at the text incredulously, then shook his head and quickly replied.

 _We should talk. When do you have time?_

Akari's reply was quick for the first time that day.

 _Sure, I can come over after the game?_

 _Game?_

 _Ikki's playing his Inter-High today, basketball._

 _Sure, I'll be home._

 _See you then!_

Kenma tossed his phone to the side, picking up the controller once more. He resumed the game and continued executing perfect after perfect strategy. His mind, though, as his fingers simply went through the motions, was going in circles. He paused the game again, pulling his hair into a ponytail at the nape of his neck, then, he kept playing.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed!**


	19. Buzz buzz

**This was quite the chapter… I feel like I might get ganged upon by some of the reviewers, you know how you are, if I don't get these two together sometime soon xD Gosh, you guys crack me up! Enjoy!**

 **Shoutout to everyone who's chatted with me on Tumblr so far: you guys are the bombs! Hope you liked listening to Haru's playlist :D**

* * *

 **Chapter 19: Buzz buzz**

"Cover!" Kai shouted, Kenma not moving a millimeter to give the necessary help. Instead, Kuroo rushed, raising the ball and Lev got the last, tossing it over. Haru looked away from the mock match that Nekoma was playing divided into two teams, going to the coach on the bench.

"Nekomata-sensei," she spoke up, getting his attention instantly. "I've been in contact with the coaches from the National Teams under nineteen from Cuba and Brazil, they have both agreed to play matches with us."

"Ooh, that's quite a catch, right there," the old man nodded, eyes widening. "Where did you manage to get into contact with them? The sports benefit?"

"Yes," Haru blushed, looking down at the clipboard in her hands. "I've gotten a hold of their schedules and we can make those two practice matches happen if we just edit the schedule a tad." Nekomata nodded, looking back to the practicing boys.

"It would be good for them to face a strong opponent before the Inter-High," he told her. "Have you done any research on the teams which will be included in those matches?"

"Yes," Haru sat down, flipping the clipboard. "I have five tapes from the strongest teams during their last matches in official games. I also went to check out their practice," at that, Nekomata laughed, gently patting her on the shoulder. "I know they're not supposed to be recorded because of the courtesy rules, but I did take some notes."

"Who do you think will be the most troublesome for us?" The coach asked, then turned to the court as Yaku started screaming at Lev about his receive.

"Nohebi looks bad this year," Haru read from the clipboard. "Fukurodani is strong as always. But, I think that Itachiyama is the biggest problem."

"They will be seeded, though," Nekomata said.

"Let's hope that they won't be in our side of the bracket." The coach laughed, looking at the girl.

"Now that you've said it, it's bound to happen."

"I'll pray!" Haru replied with a grin, going back to the clipboard. The coach couldn't help but chuckle at the girl's enthusiasm.

"Alright, you and Kuroo go over those tapes and he will tell you what plays you will need to discuss with the team," Nekomata instructed, Haru taking notes. "If you need a strategist for the counter-plays, rope Kenma into it, no matter how much he objects. Lastly, do your best to wriggle around our schedule and set up those matches with the Cubans and Brazilians."

"Yes, sensei." Haru nodded and fished out the team's phone, as well as her own. She needed to do some scheduling. Just as the boys took a water break, having a small meeting together to discuss the plays, someone burst into the gym, grabbing their attention.

"Haru, why's your phone off?" Satoshi stood there, in all his I-just-left-a-concert glory. Heads turned to Haru who seemed shocked to see the man. He stood out somehow, a part of her work life in her school life. She wasn't sure she liked them mixing.

"I put it on silent, cause of practice?" Satoshi stomped over, a grin on his face. He grabbed her hands, ignoring the water bottles in each of them which she'd started distributing to the boys.

"I'm swamped and Miki can't come in today, can I steal you?" He turned to the coach, letting go of the girl's hands to bow to him. "I'm sorry for barging in, sensei. Please, let me kidnap your manager for today." Nekomata laughed, then waved a hand off, telling the younger man not to worry.

"You can take her, we can do the rest ourselves," then, the coach turned to Haru while Satoshi seemed to be crying of joy. "We agreed on everything that needs to be done. Kuroo," he looked to the captain, who broke from his blatant staring at the handsome manager of the photo studio. "Can you meet with Haru later and go over some tapes with her?"

"Yes, coach." The boy replied and instantly, he noticed a sly look coming from the newcomer in the gym. Satoshi was looking him up and down, smirking. Haru politely excused herself, grabbing her things and the manager helping her.

"So, that's him?" Kuroo managed to hear Satoshi ask in a low voice as the two left the gym, the older man's head too close to Haru's for his liking. But, he still enjoyed the way the girl blushed and elbowed him into the side, telling him to shush.

"What.. was that about?" Yaku asked, tilting his head as he drank from his water bottle. Nekomata grinned at the boy.

"Haru told me that work might get a bit busy for her in the next few weeks," he told the curious group. "Their photos just got published in a well-known magazine and they might get a bit more work than normal."

"Oh, Haru does photography?" Inuoka asked, eyes wide. "I didn't know!"

"Me neither!" Lev piped up, the two first years looking at each other. The whole team was silent as they drank their water for a moment. Then, Kenma spoke up.

"Perhaps we don't know as much about her as we thought we did." The setter voiced what everyone was thinking. Kuroo smirked, motioning for them to get closer. The boys huddled, Nekomata only hearing them quickly whisper amongst each other. Then, they cheered together, determined.

"Okay, back to the game, boys!" Naoi called for attention and practice resumed.

* * *

Haru was tired. In fact, she was beyond exhausted. She has understood as soon as they'd arrived at the studio why Satoshi had come to fetch her in such panic. The phone was ringing off the hook, even his cellphone while he had been driving them back to the shop. There were requests coming in left and right and the two weren't sure which to accept and which not to. They couldn't possibly handle all of them at once with just two people. So, in the end, they'd called their boss.

Hino Yuko was a name that everybody knew. She had become famous at just nineteen, her portraits of common Japanese and Vietnamese people, just on the street, doing their own thing, had taken the world by storm and gone viral. At the age of thirty, she had a solid career and her own studio. She spent most of her time outside of Japan, taking photos across the world. During her absence, she had instructed Satoshi, a promising wildlife and portrait photographer, to take care of her studio. He hadn't called her once within the last seven years of being in charge. But, he had called her that day.

In the end, Yuko had told them to do as they best saw fit. The ones they liked, they could accept, the jobs that felt sketchy, they shouldn't. She also told them to be careful not to accept any requests from rival companies and groups to the one they had just gotten their success with. Then, she'd congratulated them and told them to put their own names, next to the studio title, on each picture.

Satoshi and Haru had ended up splitting up, going separately to locations and taking photos, staying in touch by phone. A few times, the manager would pick her up and drive her to her next gig, while at other times, she'd taken the train. He had promised to include the price of the tickets into her overtime bonus, so she wasn't really complaining.

Most of the sets where Haru had arrived that day had been quick to dismiss her as a youngster without much experience. She'd had to prove, through her professionalism and good pictures, that she was a solid photographer despite her age. In the end, with just a tad of arguing and a lot of showing off her skills, Haru had earned her place twice over at the studio.

She arrived home late, with the studio Nikon camera still at her hip, legs feeling like jelly. With a sigh, the girl unlocked her front door and entered. Instantly, she knew she wasn't alone.

"I'm home!" Haru called out, toeing off her shoes and walking into the hall. She dropped off her book bag and the camera on the shoe storage, going to the kitchen where the light was shining. Her heart was racing, as there was only light and no music, and she was honestly hoping that it was either of her parents who were home, and not her sister.

"Finally!" Tough luck. Haru sighed, walking into the kitchen more confidently on her shaky legs, opting to ignore Chihiro and her new boyfriend who were sitting at the table. "Chiharu, where have you been? I've been waiting for _hours_!" Haru grabbed some of the leftovers from the previous night, putting them into a bowl and tossing them into the microwave. She turned to her sister, taking a deep, calming breath. On most days she could deal with Chihiro's attitude. On most days, she could handle the rudeness and general disrespect of her sister. But, it was late, she'd been working for hours, and she didn't have her filter functioning just right. And, perhaps the boys from the volleyball team had influenced her just a bit in not taking anything lying down.

"Chihiro, honestly, I don't care," Haru told her sister, almost reveling in the way the girl gaped. "I'm tired and don't have the energy for this today. Besides, you can always just text me with your demands, like you usually do."

"Oh, is this going to be a domestic?" The boy whom Chiharu didn't know asked with a grin, making her sister glare at him. Haru decided to ignore him, instead grabbing her warmed up food and tossing some cold rice into it. She grabbed a pair of clean chopsticks as her sister ranted at her in a raised voice and headed upstairs.

"I'm going to eat in my room." Haru took her books and the studio camera with her, not really sure how Chihiro would lash out this time.

"You little brat!" Her sister yelled after her as she climbed the stairs. "I'm telling mom!" Haru couldn't resist being petty.

"Go ahead!" She screamed from the door to her room, then slammed it shut. The girl stood completely still for a split second, breathing slowly. Her eyes prickled with tears and her throat constricted, as it always did when her sister was over. Then, after collecting herself, Haru walked to her desk and placed her dinner and her things there. She sat down and picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks. It was nice, tender and moist from the gravy. The rice that she picked up next perfectly suited the taste, the hot food filling her stomach comfortably. She could hear Chihiro yelling in the living room, angry about the whole mess from before. Haru could tell that she was the main topic and that her new boyfriend was simply fueling the fire. She wished Chihiro had stayed with Takashi, from high school. He has always been kind to Haru, despite her sister's attitude or the family quarrels.

The chopsticks in her hand seemed to fade, her fingers going numb as a dull buzzing appeared in her ears. Ah, it's happening again, Haru realized. She'd learned years ago not to fight this event. But, rather, to embrace it. It helped, after all. Chihiro's voice became a distant, muted sound, almost like a TV in the background and the food in her mouth lost its taste. She saw the tears more than she felt them, dropping into the hot gravy and onto her hand. But, she kept eating, completely numb, embracing the buzzing.

Her phone was ringing in her pocket, she could mutely hear it, but Haru didn't have the strength to pick up. Instead, she cried, eating her now tasteless dinner, for what seemed like hours. Finally, when she was done, she and the buzzing in her ears made themselves comfortable in the bathroom, lowered into a tub of warm water and coconut scented foam. There was no music. She didn't have the heart to play any. There was just silence, as Chihiro had finally stopped yelling.

She didn't know how long she was in the tub. Time seemed to simply float away, washed by the coconut scented foam just like the aches in her body from the hard day. But, Haru was almost content. The buzzing in her ears had appeared a long time ago. She has been barely ten when she'd first experienced it. It had been so frightening when she was young. She would run and hide or turn her music up as loud as she could, just to escape the numbness that it brought.

Though, with the years, she'd embraced it. When her sister started her usual routine of menace, Haru was glad that the buzzing came to her aid. It was a welcome friend whom she embraced with open arms. It made the noise of the yelling almost bearable and it made the time fly by. Her mind would go completely blank and she loved those moments with bittersweet attention.

"Haru?" The voice made her turn, the muted tone still audible. Then, the buzzing stopped, like it had been cut off by a knife. "God, are you alright?" Kuroo was at the bathroom door, now hurrying forward and kneeling down next to her bathtub.

"Eh, I'm fine?" She was confused. Why was Kuroo there? They hadn't had anything planned for that night that required him to come over? Why did he look so worried? He was wearing his home clothes, too, he must've rushed over. Her hand extended from the water, wet fingers touching the bangs that always seemed to hang over the third-year's right eye. Kuroo followed her motion, but let her play with the hair for a second. His hand reached up to grasp hers and then he gasped.

"You're freezing!" True, the water had gone cold. Haru suddenly became aware of the chill in her skin. Her bare skin in front of him. And, despite the foam, she became quite conscious of her lack of clothes. "Get up, c'mon." Kuroo stood, grabbing and then extending one of the light blue fluffy towels to her, back still turned. She didn't move. "Chiharu, let that water out and rinse, then put this on, c'mon. You'll catch a cold."

Without replying, Haru obeyed. Her fingers found the plug and the water slowly drained. She quickly showered the foam off with lukewarm water, careful not to splash the boy in the bathroom who stayed turned around rather respectively. Then, she grasped the towel from his hand. Their fingers brushed, his like fire to her icy ones. He turned around just as she was tucking in the edge of the towel together above her chest.

"Come here," Kuroo grasped her hands, then seemed to change his mind and lowered his grip to her waist gently, lifting her out of the bath and onto the towel in front of the tub with ease. "You need to get warm." He took her hand, leading her into her room. There, he proceeded to open her closet and toss her a long pair of sweats and a sleeved shirt. Haru caught them, still shocked that he was there.

"Will you choose my underwear, too?" She managed to ask him coyly, but she could see that he'd seen right through her when he turned. Her heart wasn't in the playful flirting line.

"I can, I don't mind," the third-year fixed her with a stern look. "Do you want me to?" Haru conceded the challenge, abandoning it.

"No, I can do it myself," she joined him at the closet and gently closed his eyes with her icy fingers. "Don't peek," she warned him and the boy nodded. "Why are you here, Kuroo?"

"I called you multiple times, you didn't pick up or text." He told her, eyes still closed. Haru took the chance to look at his face while he wasn't aware of it. Kuroo had a boyish kind of handsomeness to him. His cheekbones were high and his hair was messy, bringing his features into focus more. The smirk that he usually had on his lips, typically showing his straight teeth, was gone. In fact, he looked rather troubled then and there. She wished that she could see his eyes. She could always tell at least a bit of what he was thinking when she saw his eyes. "Are you really taking so long to choose your lacy panties?" He reminded her of the task at hand with the usual banter.

"You came over just because I wasn't answering my phone?" Haru cut him off, picking out a set of light blue comfortable, yet pretty undergarments. She didn't take off her towel as she pulled them on, then threw the shirt over her head and placed the towel onto the heater by the window.

"I called Akari and Kenma first," Kuroo told her in an even tone, leaning back onto the dresser in a way that showed off his long legs. "Akari told me you had texted her when you got off work, but she couldn't get through to call you either. You worried us, Haru."

"Oh," the girl turned to him then, inspecting the lean frame and the almost relieved expression on his face. "I'm sorry." His eyes opened and he blushed, noticing that she only had the shirt on, which fell just long enough to hide her underwear.

"Shit, sorry." He quickly closed his eyes again, and Haru chuckled.

"You can open your eyes now, you know," she told him. "It's not like you haven't seen a girl in a bikini before, right? Underwear's the same." Kuroo's amber eyes opened, fixing her with some unknown heat in them.

"It's not the same at all." He told her in a low voice. Haru blushed, grabbing the sweats he had tossed her and quickly pulling them on. "Haru," she looked up at him. "Are you alright?" When she opened her mouth to tell him that she was fine, he interrupted. "Don't deflect or lie. Tell me honestly." Kuroo's perceptiveness made her stop short. She took a breath and then replied with complete honesty.

"No." His expression softened.

"Can I do anything?" She looked at him and realized that this was a side of Kuroo she hadn't seen before. He seemed almost tender in the way he approached the topic. "Do you want to talk? Or prefer not to?" Haru realized that her throat was closing in on itself, tears brimming in her eyes once more.

"I don't know." Kuroo closed the distance between them in what seemed like milliseconds, wrapping his arms around her. Despite the heat of the late summer evening and the warm clothes which were on her chilled form, Haru welcomed it. In fact, she would've liked to have had a T-shirt, so that she could feel his skin on hers. She needed some human contact, oddly enough. The hug was helping her. It did wonders, like some kind of a magical spell. Why did Kuroo seem to be the only one who had these amazing powers with her?

"I'll show you a trick I use when I'm like that if you promise not to tell the team?" He asked her in a low voice, and she could feel the vibrations on the top of her head, where his chin rested gently.

"Promise." She replied, muffled by his shirt. Kuroo gently let her go, taking her hand and leading her to her own bed. He sat down, propped up by her pillows in a half-lying position. Then, Kuroo tapped the spot between his legs and Haru scooched onto the bed on all fours, sitting there. He pulled her back to his chest, legs closing around hers in a secure, comfortable hold. Then, there was his phone in front of her and he was opening the YouTube app. "Are you going to play me dirty videos?" She teased, looking back. But, Kuroo's face had quite an unusual smile on it. It was an open, honest one, unlike his usual smug grin.

"Nope." Then, he placed his head comfortably on her shoulder and played the first video, making Haru focus on it. Soon enough, they were both guffawing at the long line of funny videos the boy was playing for them, stopping the clips now and again to discuss, comment and wipe the tears from too much laughter.

* * *

"Wanna watch the tapes?" Kuroo asked as he put his phone to charge on Haru's desk, using her charger. They had completely drained his battery, going from funny videos of animals and toddlers to volleyball plays from famous teams and finally to beauty routines, where the third-year criticized with hilarious commentary, making the girl go from trying to take in the information to rolling in his embrace, laughing loudly.

"Sure," Haru hopped up from her bed, as well, feeling much lighter somehow. "But, we need to go downstairs…" She hesitated, thinking back to Chihiro who was probably still home.

"Does your sister bother you?" Kuroo asked, tilting his head. Haru remembered that he had come upstairs on his own, somehow entering her home. He has probably met her sister. Horror settled in.

"Oh, God, did she say anything to you?" At her wide-eyed look of fear, Kuroo smirked.

"Please," the third-year grinned wide, his teeth glinting in an all-too-familiar smile. "She isn't on my level. They don't call me the Master of Provocation for nothing." He shrugged confidently as Haru laughed.

"What did you do to her?" She walked over, fishing the tapes out from her desk drawer. Kuroo put his finger up to his lips, smirk still present. "Well, if you don't mind doing your magic with Chihiro one more time, I'm alright with going downstairs."

"Shall we?" Kuroo extended his hand and she didn't hesitate to take it.

"I'm already sorry about the family arguments you will witness." The third-year shrugged, and they were off to the living room. Chihiro spotted them as soon as they came into the hall, from her seat at the kitchen table where she'd been fiddling with her phone.

"Chiharu," she motioned for the girl to come to her. Haru sighed, handing Kuroo the tapes from her hand.

"Can you feed these to the player under the TV? I'll just be a minute."

"You okay on your own?" He was more than perceptive, Haru mused. She nodded and then let go of his warm hand, walking to the kitchen table. Chihiro had a peculiar sly smile on her face.

"That your boyfriend?" She immediately asked when Haru was close enough.

"No, just a sempai from my club." Chihiro nodded, still looking too smug for Haru's liking. Her sister licked her lips, looking towards the living room.

"You don't mind if I give it a go, then?" Haru's heart fell. "I mean, he's hot. I'd climb that boy like a tree."

"But, Chihiro, you already have a boyfriend." If there was one thing that Haru knew about her sister, it was that she always got what she wanted. She could still remember the first time it had happened. Haru had brought her friend from school home for the first time ever. She had been a first year in junior high back then, just entered. Chihiro, on the other hand, had been finishing high school. Her sister had joined them during their chatting, casually saying that she was a model. Pretty soon, Haru's friend had switched the attention onto her sister, not wanting to play with the girl anymore but always asking about her cool older sibling. And, that had just been the first time.

"Eiji? Who cares about him," Chihiro shrugged. "Now, _that_ boy is hot. Besides, I like them a bit young and inexperienced. Gives you a chance to teach them how to pay good attention to you." Haru frowned, but didn't react. The worst thing she could do was show Chihiro that she was angry about the idea on its own.

"Do what you want," she honestly hoped that Kuroo would see right through her sister's fake flirtation. "We need to do some work for the club anyways." Haru walked into the living room with a heavy heart, but Kuroo managed to work his magic yet again, soon having her smiling at his lame flirting one-liners.

* * *

 **Gosh, this was fun to write! I've noticed that my chapters have started mirroring day to night routines, which is probably because I write throughout the day myself, so they follow my timeline hahahaha Sorry, the next one will break that mold!**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **Bookdragonslayer:  
I know right! I love having fun with writing their parents, especially Kuroo's mom! :D Mine are super embarrassing, too xD I felt like writing something similar hahahaha  
Bokuto is THE wingman. He is the MVP, all the way!**

 **Rosto'sGirl:  
Thanks so much for getting in touch with me over tumblr T_T Conversations like that feed my soul :D  
I'm always semi-cruel to all characters :P It's gonna get better, though :D  
Oikawa is tough to get warmed up to xD He's such a brat xD But, like, you end up sympathizing with him eventually lol xD  
The dynamics have changeeed! It's gonna be super fun to write them soon :P Both cheeky idiots :D Give him a solid kick, I support it! xD  
Cheers!**

 **Valen Goncalvez:  
Thanks so much! Glad that you're enjoying yourself :D**

 **AmIValid2:  
Death it shall be. For now? xD Wait, ain't that a coma? Smut coming to wake you up from it soon enough, though :)  
I had a ton of fun writing the humor scenes, I'm glad that you enjoyed them :D Kuroo's mom is like urghhhh yas woman xD From condoms, to walking in on those two to torturing Kuroo together with Haru xD She makes me super happy! xD  
KenAri is life now. I'm sailing with that ship like a fast-paced yacht, please, easy cruisin! I promise soon more on that front :D Kenma is definitely such a character that deserves so much love :D Like, he needs someone to pamper him :) Akari is the pamper queen, hint hint :P  
Hahahaha nah, just mentions of an ex, none of her coming into play anytime soon. At least, not in my plans so far? Maybe, though, I could take this as a hint of you wanting more drama? Postponing the smut it shall be, I suppose… Lol, jk, I've teased you enough xD Developments in their relationship soon :D  
Cheers!**

* * *

 **Omake:**

Kuroo dialed the number again. After the line cut off, he frowned at his phone. More than five calls would be too much, he decided, and switched targets. He dialed a different number.

"Hello." Kenma's bored voice told him that the setter was playing a game.

"Kenma, have you heard from Haru tonight?" Kuroo immediately asked.

"No." Was the short reply.

"She isn't picking up her phone, I'm worried." He heard the game sounds pause on the other end of the line. There was shifting as Kenma sat up.

"Maybe she's in the shower?" Kuroo groaned.

"But, it's been over twenty minutes?" Kenma took some time to think and then replied.

"Wait a second," then, Kuroo heard him talk in a muffled voice to someone next to him. Well, that was odd. The setter had someone over so late. If there was one thing that Kenma liked, it was playing some games alone after a stressful day of practice and school. He _never_ gave that time up for anyone, not even Kuroo. If it was who he thought it was, gosh, it would be _amazing_!

"Akari says she hasn't talked to Haru since they texted earlier," there was a girl's voice talking and then shuffling. Kuroo guessed that Kenma's phone got hijacked as soon as the voice at the speaker switched.

"She texted me on her way home from work, but I know that she was planning to call you, sempai," Akari said into the microphone, making Kuroo's smirk widen to an almost impossible size. "Just go bug her at her door, if she's asleep the bell will wake her up."

"Alright, will do," Kuroo couldn't resist adding. "Don't go above PG-13 and scar Kenma now, Akari." The girl sounded like she chocked on the other side of the line.

"We're playing games, I'll have you know! Games!" That was just too good to pass up for him.

"Oh, is that what you call it these days? Ah, youth…" He hung up the line as Akari started hyperventilating some denials into the phone.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading!**


	20. The boys

**I promise, we are getting closer to the good stuff with each chapter xD Btw, if anyone's interested, got 24/30 on my test! Two more incoming the following two weekends xD Enjoy the reading!**

* * *

 **Special shoutout to AmIValid2 for sending me TetsuHaru smut to encourage me to write some of that soon :D You spiced up my morning like crazy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 20: The boys**

"Look, there," Kuroo pointed out, clicking the remote. He had taken the gadget at the very beginning, being the one to set the pace of their match watching binge. He would stop the video, then rewind and show Haru, in slow motion if necessary, a particularly brilliant move. "He did a single person time delay on his spike and the setter accommodated." When the girl didn't reply, as she had been the whole time, Kuroo looked over to her on the couch. Haru had her head on the back of it, fast asleep.

Kuroo grinned, figuring that she had finally succumbed to the exhaustion from the whole day of school, practice and then work. Not to even mention the whole thing with her sister. He wasn't quite sure what was going on between the two, but he could see that it was bad. Haru didn't even retaliate, like he knew that she could.

Gently, Kuroo pulled her from the back of the couch, settling her onto the cushions to sleep more comfortably. She murmured something hazily, and snuggled her head closer to his thigh, breathing in deeply and then falling into a deeper sleep. Kuroo took a moment to carefully mess with her hair, patting it and entangling his fingers into it, separating the wild curls. Then, he refocused on the match, taking notes on his own. He made sure to jot down the time of the plays and moves which were important, so that Haru could go over them more easily later.

After about an hour, Kuroo got thirsty and stood from the couch, tiptoeing into the kitchen. He was surprised to find Chihiro, the elder Sakurano girl, still up and texting. He didn't greet her, but went to the fridge and made himself at home, pouring the juice which he'd come to love. Kuroo had been rather surprised, when he'd gone to Haru's earlier that day, ringing the doorbell and expecting the girl herself to open the door. But, instead, another woman had.

Chihiro looked rather similar to her sister. She had a lighter tone of dark skin and her eyes were clearly Japanese, more slanted than Haru's. They were somehow smaller, too. Her lips were also smaller than the ones he'd dreamed of kissing all too often. Her frame was trim, compact, everything about her smaller than her sister. She almost looked younger than Haru, despite there being quite a few years between them. Yet, even when she had greeted him with an open flirtation, Kuroo hadn't felt anything for the girl, instead brushing her off and going upstairs to look for the girl he'd come to see. He could tell that she hadn't been happy with that.

"Kuroo-kun, was it?" Chihiro asked, making him pause in his movements. Kuroo turned with a lazy smile, aiming to at least try and be polite.

"Yes?" He returned the juice to the fridge, drinking from his glass.

"How come Chiharu isn't being hospitable and pouring you that drink?" The girl was the crafty type. He could tell that much from just looking at her. With the carefully styled hair and very expensive clothes and makeup, she looked every bit the model she was. Besides, she carried herself with a kind of confidence he hadn't seen too often. She reminded him of someone, but he couldn't quite put his finger on who.

"She fell asleep," Kuroo laughed easily. "I suppose the day finally tired her out. It's alright, though, I know my way around the place."

"I see," Chihiro nodded, abandoning her phone and standing up, walking over behind the counter to join him. "Can I have a sip? I suddenly feel _so_ parched." She didn't wait for his reply but took the glass from his hands, careful to brush her fingers against his. She looked straight into his eyes, unabashedly, as she drank from the same spot he'd been sipping from. Oh, she was sly, alright. Kuroo grinned right back.

"Keep it," he told her with a dismissive wave. "I have to finish up the club stuff anyways." But, the girl wouldn't be dissuaded. She followed after him into the living room, not sparing her sister a glance.

"So, you play volleyball?" Chihiro asked. "I've always found all volleyball player rather sexy, you know?"

"Oh," Kuroo gave her a small glance, noticing how she was standing in order to show off all of her good assets as she leaned on the edge of the couch. She was looking down at him, who had already sat down with the remote back in his hands, like he was the most delicious treat which she planned to taste. "Then, you must've dated quite a few of them?" First blow. "Back in your time, I mean." And the second perfect one.

"Only a few," she didn't sound fazed, but Kuroo could sense her irritation. "It wasn't that long ago when I was in high school. It was before my career had taken off nicely." He knew exactly what she wanted him to ask.

"You're a model, right?" He obliged and the girl nodded confidently. He knew the game well. Play into your opponent's web until you can completely mess it up. "Yeah, Haru told me you were quite famous, but… I haven't really seen any of your photoshoots in magazines recently?" Oh, she didn't like that jibe, either.

"I'm too busy with commercials these days," Chihiro seemed to recover quickly. "They told me that they might recruit me for a drama, as well, if I do good on the next set."

"Oh, I knew you looked familiar!" Kuroo thanked Akari for being so talkative and telling him a golden piece of information some time ago. "You were in that commercial with the chicken, right?" The look on the girl's face was absolutely priceless. She blushed profusely and looked away from him. Kuroo had learnt that Chihiro hated that commercial at the beginning of her success more than anything. "How did the song go again? I remember it was something quite catchy?" He could remember watching the commercial on YouTube after Akari had told him about it. It had been quite embarrassing, showing the beautiful girl in a chicken suit, singing a ridiculous but catchy tune about the franchise among plucked chickens which looked mortifyingly wrong around her pretty face.

"I don't quite remember," Chihiro shrugged. "It was the very beginning of my career. Nowadays I do makeup commercials."

"Right," Kuroo nodded, tapping his forehead. "Well, it looks good on you," she looked smug for a bare second. "I mean, you use quite a bit of makeup, right?" And with a homerun finish, he had her blushing in mortification again. Haru never wore makeup. He knew that. The girl was a natural beauty. Her sister, on the other hand, he could see the pigment difference between her neck and face. She wore more than a bit of it at all times.

"I won't bore you with the girlish stuff," Chihiro attempted to deflect. "I want to know more about you, though. What position do you play in volleyball?" The girl walked around the couch, settling herself on the armrest next to him. Kuroo decided that he'd had enough playtime with the young woman.

"The unavailable kind." He told her, staring up at her with a clear sign for her to get lost. Chihiro seemed offended, but she remained quite polite, despite the fact that he had moved his hand away when she'd attempted to sensually touch it.

"Well, you have yourself a good night," the model stood, sashaying away from the living room. "I'm going to bed." Kuroo breathed a sigh of relief when she was gone from his field of vision. He suddenly felt like he understood Haru a bit more. With her sister that way, confident and successful in selling it, he didn't doubt that it threw a cloud of self-doubt over the younger girl. The third-year brushed a lock of Haru's hair away from her face, which had fallen there when she'd turned on the couch. "You're a thousand times better than her," he whispered to her softly. "More beautiful, too." Then, he allowed himself a small moment of his iron self-control breaking and leaned down, pressing a butterfly kiss to those wild curls. When he rose from the cloud of her scent which made him feel all too warm in his own skin, he clicked play again, resuming the match.

* * *

"The plan?" Yaku grabbed Kai's hand, pulling him to the side in the corridor. Kuroo joined them with a knowing smirk in two strides. They all huddled together. "The plan?" Yaku repeated, turning to Kai.

"The plan?" Kai turned to Kuroo.

"The plan." Kuroo nodded sagely. The libero and the wing-spiker looked at him incredulously. "Alright, alright," their captain chuckled. "I asked Akari to sniff out if Chihiro is gone from the house. Unfortunately, looks like she will be staying for a while yet. We need a change of venue."

"Kenma's?" Kai suggested.

"I can ask…" Kuroo shrugged.

"It should be today after practice, if possible," Yaku told them. "If not, we will end up in the prep for the practice matches and the Inter-High and won't have the time for it." All three third years nodded to one another.

"If it comes down to it, we can do it at my place." Kuroo told them. "We just won't be able to be as loud or stay as long."

"Alright, let's do this." The group broke apart, each of the boys going to their own classrooms.

* * *

"Haru!" The girl turned around, stopping. Yaku was running to catch up with her from the boys' locker room. "You're fast." He bent over, catching his breath for a second and then gave the girl a wide grin. "Do you have work today?"

"No?" Haru tentatively replied. She didn't have work, but didn't really fancy going home either. For some reason, Chihiro had insisted on sticking around for a few days, constantly lingering around the house, sometimes with and sometimes without her boyfriend.

"Great!" Yaku practically glowed with joy. "We're all going to Kenma's later to play some games and maybe review some matches, you want to come with?" He saw the hesitation on her face and immediately cut off the negative reply he knew was coming. "We won't stay long and it will be casual, I promise. You can leave if you get bored." Haru laughed, nodding.

"Alright, Morisuke, you win," she smiled at the boy. "When should I be there? I would love to go home and take a shower."

"Well, I think most of us will go straight to Kenma's," Yaku told her, hesitating. "But, in an hour or so should work, right?" Haru took a second to think about it and then nodded.

"I'll make it."

"Great!" And Yaku was running back to the locker room. He didn't see Haru looking at him inquisitively, then shaking her head and leaving. Instead, the libero burst into the locker room, catching his breath once more. "It's on! She'll be at Kenma's in an hour, let's get a move on!" Then, the whole locker room became a mess, as if someone had dumped a bucket of hot potatoes on them.

* * *

Haru had taken more time choosing her outfit than showering. On one hand, she wanted to look good. On the other, she didn't want to seem as if she was trying too hard. In the end, she grabbed her jean shorts that showed off her legs nicely and she was just pulling on a T-shirt over her head when the door to her room opened.

"Where are you going?" Chihiro stood in the doorway, looking at her with a slight frown.

"A friend's place." Haru held in a sigh and decided to give Chihiro the least amount of information she could, without sounding rude.

"Someone you like gonna be there?" Haru inspected her sister in the reflection of the mirror. Chihiro, for once, didn't look smug or coy. She just seemed… bored.

"Maybe." For once, the second-year decided to be honest with her sister.

"Then, you can't wear that T-shirt." Chihiro vanished as Haru paused in fixing up her hair for a second. She continued fixing her hair, pulling half of it back in a lazy halfway bun. As she was fluffing out the rest of her curls, making sure that they fell down her back nicely, her sister reappeared. She tossed something at Haru, the girl barely managing to turn around and catch it. It was a red shirt with a print on the front. "Put that on." Chihiro told her and then left. Haru was left in her room, holding the shirt in confusion.

* * *

Kenma's doorbell rang, Inuoka rushing towards it. He motioned for all the boys to quiet down as he left the living room with the large TV and for once, they obeyed. Haru stood awkwardly on the other side of the door, with a bag of snacks. Her sister's red shirt was tight around her chest, but not uncomfortably so, and it had a low V-neck, allowing for a glimpse of Haru's black bra if she was careless. It wrapped nicely around her waist, though, so she had decided to wear it in the end.

"Hi, Haru!" Inuoka was a bit too loud in his greeting, grinning at the girl. "Come in, we're choosing games." The girl walked in, trailing after the boy after slipping off her flipflops next to the numerous sneakers and school shoes. They walked into the living room, which was oddly empty.

"Where is everyone?" Haru asked, turning to Inuoka. He had a weird smile on his face, but she didn't have the chance to question it.

"Surprise!" The boys from the team jumped out from all sides, yelling. Kai and Yaku popped out from under the back of the couch. Lev, Shibayama and Teshiro came from the kitchen, arms up wide. Kuroo was dragging Kenma from somewhere behind Haru. Yamamoto and Fukunaga had been hiding behind a sofa chair, running out and towards the girl.

"Eh, eh?" Haru asked as the boys started hugging her from all sides, some of them daring to place a kiss on her cheek or ruffle her hair. Yamamoto went for a smooch and then pulled back, face red, deciding to instead pat her on the shoulder instead. Kuroo was by far the most daring, his kiss lingering on her skin. "Guys, what is this about?" Haru asked, wriggling out of his hold.

"Congratulations on your pictures being in the magazine!" Lev gave her yet another tight hug, making her stay still for a second, in shock, and then finally tear up.

"Oh, this isn't fair!" Haru wiped at her eyes furiously and then opened the second bag next to the snacks. "I was just about to give you some stuff, too!" The boys quickly changed their tune, hoarding the girl and trying to get closer to see what was in the bag.

"Oi!" Yaku finally called for attention, kicking Lev who was closest to him. "Sit down, stop crowding Haru!" Begrudgingly, the boys obeyed. Even Kuroo listened, murmuring something along the lines of 'demon paisen' as he plopped down next to Kenma in the sofa chair, making the setter frown and try to wriggle to make some space on the small piece of furniture.

"Here you go," Haru started taking out the items from the bag, giving one to each of the boys who were eagerly watching her. Finally, she sat down, as well, in between Lev and Yamamoto.

"Oh, this is awesome!" Inuoka exclaimed from his seat on the floor, turning the item in his hands around and then began browsing through it. It was a calendar, with important match dates marked on all every copy in different colors. Haru had done her best to arrange the photos by their birth months, but a few had overlapped.

So, in the end, the pictures had ended up in the following order. On the cover, there was an image of the whole team, coaches and their manager included, which they had taken for school. They all stood, grinning, Yamamoto giving Yaku ears with two fingers. January featured a large image of Teshiro setting the ball during a game. He was wearing his uniform, sweaty, with a look of concentration on his face. He was mid-jump and had his hands raised, being the only thing in focus in the picture. His birthday was clearly marked in the calendar on the bottom part of the calendar. February belonged to Yamamoto in a much similar manner. Haru had managed to catch a shot of him spiking the ball strongly over the net. March was Haru's month, featuring a picture Satoshi had taken of her with her camera, clicking away. Kai held the featured image of April, half-crouched, receiving a tricky ball. Coach Nekomata shined from the May photo, in his red Nekoma sweats, holding a peace sign and his clipboard in the other hand, grinning, as usual. June was a group picture, all of the team members mid-jump. They had taken that one while goofing off for their team picture on the cover. Naoi looked stern while he was featured for July. Yaku held the title for August, diving to dig for a ball skillfully. September had Fukunaga spiking the ball over the net, the image taken from the side. October was shared by Kenma and Lev, the setter positioning the ball for the first-year to hit over the net at a rather enviable height. November was again, a shared month, Kuroo and Inuoka blocking with a lot of intensity, the picture taken from the front, both of the boys smiling. Though, the captain was more smirking while the young middle blocker just looked ecstatic. Finally, December showed Shibayama with a look of concentration, waiting for the ball in an overhanded position.

"Why do I have to share with Lev?" Kenma grumbled when he came to his month, interrupting the silence and making everyone break into laughter and teasing.

"These are amazing, Haru!" Lev told her from the side, giving her a hug with one arm and snuggling up to her. Kuroo's eyebrow twitched.

"You sly little-"

"Haru!" Yamamoto was crying tears of absolute happiness. "Thish ish amazhing!" The girl barely understood his words through his tears, but she got the gist of it. She hugged him, which made him cry even more. "I will treashure it until the day I die!" Haru laughed, again, getting numerous hugs and thanks from the team members. It took them half an hour to finally compose themselves and actually pick out a game to play.

* * *

"We're out of sports drinks." Haru said, walking into the gym during practice. Kuroo and Yaku were already there, helping each other stretch. Kenma sat on the bench, immersed in his game. Yamamoto dropped the balls he was holding, walking towards the manager, opening his mouth with unintelligible sounds coming out. Quickly, Kenma's leg shot forward, tripping the ace and successfully shutting him up as he faceplanted.

"Kuroo can take you to the local store," the setter spoke up in his usual monotone voice, gaining the attention of all the people in the room. His eyes never left the game, though.

"But, I usually-"

"Kuroo can show Haru exactly which one to get, she should know that for the future." Kenma successfully caused yet another complete silence of the whole gym, cutting the libero off. Kuroo looked up at the setter from his position behind Yaku, pushing the boy's back forward. Then, he glanced to the manager who was already ready to lock eyes with him with a raised eyebrow.

"Sure, I can do that," the captain slowly said. "I'm free after practice today, if you can go then, Haru?" The manager shook her head.

"It's Wednesday, I have work," she told him. "I need to leave practice early, too. But, I can meet you after? That's at eight." Kuroo nodded, ignoring Yaku's yelp of pain when he pushed him a bit too hard. The captain immediately eased off, still deaf to the third-year libero who started shouting insults at him. There was a stupid grin on Kuroo's face.

"Sure, if you text me the address, I can come pick you up?"

"No need, I'll just meet you where you need me to."

"And you should pick up some new towels, as well," Kenma added, interrupting their banter. His eyes were still on his game when the manager and the captain looked over.

"A-alright." Haru nodded. "The mall, then?"

"Sure, eight twenty?" Kuroo tilted his head to the side, thinking. "But, we'll have to go to that mall that works till ten." Haru nodded.

"Perfect, I know which one you mean, just a few stops from us?"

"Yeah."

* * *

 _Meet me at the mall at 8:15pm._

Akari paused her sewing and opened the message, frowning at it. Kenma wanted her to meet him at the mall that late? Then, it had to be the one that worked till ten.

 _Sure._

She replied curtly. When he answered just a quick confirmation, no explanation, Akari felt her heart speed up. Was he asking her out? Kenma wasn't the most elaborative type. His brain simply worked too fast, jumping from topic to topic, counting on the people around him to keep up most of the time. Akari had learnt that in the time she'd spent with the boy. But, she was still often left wondering where his mind had wandered off to.

"Akari, the seam!" Immediately, the girl took her foot of the pedal under the table, looking at the dress she'd been making while her brain was busy with Kenma. The seam was all crooked.

"Darn, I'll redo it." Akari sighed and started working on undoing the stitch.

* * *

Kenma stood awkwardly in front of the mall, trying to push himself into the wall and hopefully vanish into it. It was still not the hour he had set for the meeting, as he had come early. Perhaps, too early. He was nervous, which was an uncommon feeling for him. Yet, somehow, the fact that he would be meeting Akari, all on his own, put him on edge. He had even taken his time to pick his clothes. Dark baggy capris that came to his knees and a wide T-shirt had been a rather good choice, in his opinion.

"Kenma!" He raised his head, finding Akari with his gaze. She looked breathtaking. In that light pink dress with white lace, which wasn't too little nor too much. It was just, tastefully, enough. "Sorry, am I late?"

"No…" He looked down, hiding his blushing cheeks.

"Why did you want me to meet you here?" He hadn't told her? Had he forgotten to tell her?

"Kuroo and Haru are going on an errand here together," he said to the girl, which made a look of realization come onto her face.

"Let's tail them!" Akari took Kenma's hand, pulling him into the mall. She didn't stop leading him until they were on the second floor, standing by the railing with a nice view of the entrance. Kenma took a second to appreciate the softness of her delicate hand in his. He noticed something catching on the skin of his calloused palm. He was absent-mindedly listening to her chatter softly as he raised their connected hands, inspecting the place which bothered him.

"What happened?" There was a band aid on Akari's finger. She stopped chattering, looking at him with soft eyes.

"Nothing really, just stabbed myself." She waved his concern off.

"Stabbed yourself?"

"With a needle at the club," Akari laughed at his disbelief. "I wasn't paying attention while sewing and ended up with some more wounds from battle. It's not too bad this time." Kenma inspected the band aid for a second longer, his finger tracing it.

"Does it hurt?" Akari was smiling at him when he looked at her. It made his cheeks heat up.

"If you let me play with your hair, I'll tell you." Kenma immediately avoided eye contact, looking at his feet. He nodded mutely. Akari let go of his hand in glee, stepping behind him to start touching his hair. She had a weird infatuation with it. While he missed the loss of her gentle touch and heat on his palm, he preferred her fingers in his hair. The action of unknotting the tangles somehow calmed him. Kenma forced himself to pay attention to the lobby of the mall.

"They're here." He said after a few minutes, making Akari quickly tie his hair into a low bun and whisper to him that her finger doesn't hurt much anymore. She'd been pricked too many times for it to hurt. Then, gently taking his hand again, Akari whispered conspiratively.

"Let the tailing begin!" Kenma couldn't help but smile at that.

* * *

 **Is it wrong that I love writing KenAri? I can't help myself xD**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **Valen Goncalvez:  
** **If you're looking for some more Kuroo being an awesome person, you got some right here ;)**

 **Rosto'sGirl:  
Thanks for the review :D  
Chihiro is… weird… Like, I don't disagree that she's emotionally abusive, but I think that there might be reasons? More to come on the topic, I promise :D  
Kuroo is like +++ yeas! He totally made up for the Megumi thing with Chihiro just now :P She does deserve a bit of rejection lol  
Glad you enjoyed the reading, even if it brought you frustration :P  
Best!**

 **Guest:  
Hello and thanks so much for the review!  
I agree that Chihiro is a bit testy… but, maybe there are reasons? She is definitely the villain in Haru's eyes, so it's a tad biased :P  
I promise that there will be more elaboration on the buzzing, as Kuroo is not really one to leave such a thing alone :D But, if you need clarification right now, it's mostly like that state where you just tune everything out and blank out, if you know what I mean? It's a typical coping mechanism for kids who have experienced this kind of behavior from their parents or siblings :)  
Kuroo and Haru are so fluffy and sweet, they give me cavities every time I write them xD Though, I enjoy it! Glad that you like the pairing :D  
Hope to hear from you again soon :)**

 **AmIValid2:  
Hiiii thanks for the review and the SMUT! Jesus, it's so good it's scary xD I'm awkward with smut lol xD  
I'm sorry for killing you? :P  
Chihiro is a troubled young woman, for sure. But, there are reasons for her behavior, as there always are. I promise to get to those soon enough :D She just takes 'bullying your younger sibling' to the extreme xD  
I loved writing that scene with Kuroo and Haru! They're so cute together gosh xD He's so perfectly cheeky and brings her out of her comfort zone, it's hilarious xD I hope this chapter made you happy! It had all the good vibes while I was writing it :P  
KenAri is life. Hope you liked the bits of them in this one :D No no no, you're the Goddess for reviewing and writing me SMUT! **_**I**_ **can't deal xD  
Hope you enjoyed the update!  
Cheers!**

 **Milo21:  
Thank you so much! Glad that you're enjoying it :D**

* * *

 **Omake:**

Kuroo led Haru to the first store, pointing out the products which they would need. They picked them from the shelves as he listed how to maximize their use during practice.

"What should I have ready for food during matches?" Haru asked, following the tall third-year.

"Hmmm, bananas or granola bars," the captain told her. "Anything high in protein but not too hard on the stomach is good. We need to be able to eat and digest the food quickly," he explained. "An ideal stomach for a game is the one which is empty, yet not hungry. So, highly nutritious food which can be quickly processed in the body."

"Alright," Haru nodded, typing quickly on her phone. Kuroo glanced over at her, smirking.

"Are you taking notes?"

"Yes?"

"Oh, Gosh, you're adorable." Kuroo waited for her to step next to him, then gave her a side hug.

"Aren't you smooth, Mr. One-liner?" The third-year laughed, ruffling her hair.

"I'm always smooth," he replied confidently. "I mean, works on you."

"If you say so." Haru gave him a look from under her lashes that successfully stopped his heart, walking forward. "Shall we check out the granola bars next?" She left him behind, smugly swaying her hips as she went, driving him completely insane.

* * *

 **Urgh, there are too many ships here for me to handle**


	21. Inter-High begins!

**And now, I give you this gem. Sail with the ships!**

* * *

 **Btw, the game used for reference here is Flyff Legacy, if anyone has trouble with game jargon, let me know and I'll include a small glossary :D**

* * *

 **Chapter 21: Inter-High begins!**

Kenma held Akari's hand oddly tightly for his taste. But, he felt uneasy holding it loosely. It was like the girl would simply float away if he held that hand with any less force. Not that he was being very forceful. He was gentle with her delicate fingers. They were so soft and smooth against the callouses that volleyball had caused on his own hands. He had to hold those fingers delicately.

"Are we gonna play Lost Kingdom?" Akari had ended up coming over, for some reason, and he had quietly led them both to his room through the empty house. Kenma nodded. He would play whatever she wanted. It was weird, irrational. He didn't like irrational things. But, Akari was pleasantly irrational. She was _interesting_.

The door to his room opened and they entered, Kenma leading the way. He walked to the TV that he had been allowed to buy the previous year after working for the money for a while. Since then, he'd gotten smarter with his cash. He knew how to earn without breaking a sweat. He didn't need to apply to cafés or department stores. Instead, he got his money online, easily, in his opinion.

"Do you have anything I can wear?" Akari asked, already sitting on his bed. It was odd how quickly the girl had gotten used to being in his personal space. As Kenma walked over to his dresser he recalled the first time she'd been over. She'd been so nervous and on edge, bumbling with her words and flushing every few seconds. He'd found that adorable about her, too. Yet, this Akari, who didn't mind the mess of his room or his eyes never straying far from the screen, was even more endearing.

Though, what he found extremely attractive about her, and rather unhealthy for his heart, was how good she was at games. She had told him how it was due to her brothers. Yet, Kenma doubted that it was only that. The girl liked gaming. She appreciated some good PVP. She liked being the strongest and helping out other people online. Akari was quite the sight with a controller in her hands. It was like the whole princess thing that seemed to be her signature left her and she became this force of nature, quickly working out the best strategy to get strong and pass the levels.

"Will this do?" Kenma handed her a T-shirt and some shorts and she nodded. She didn't even bother leaving his room. Instead, as he was turning on the TV and hooking up his system, she pulled the shorts on under her dress. He turned just in time to see that pink lacy dress go up, leaving the slight girl in her white bra and his dark shorts which hung low on her hips. Kenma felt his cheeks go red, but he was mesmerized. There was no looking away.

Akari didn't let the attention he paid her escape her eyes. She smirked at him knowingly and then pulled the T-shirt over her head. His eyes carefully followed her hands as they went under the shirt, to her back. Then, with a little bit of maneuvering which seemed too graceful to be called a wriggle, she pulled out that lacy bra through one of the sleeves. It was one of the most sensual things he'd ever seen. She paid him one more knowing look before folding her things together and placing them on his desk chair.

"Shall we play?" Akari asked him, hopping onto his bed. Kenma nodded, quickly joining her. They both logged in, her on the tablet and him on the TV.

"How do you think it went till the end?" He asked as his character appeared, Kenma immediately recruiting for a dungeon.

"They seemed to have good chemistry," Akari's character appeared in his group and he started the dungeon, partying with her on an option that gave her the gear for her class which they collected. "Did you see her flirting back?"

"Mhm." Kenma nodded, going deeper into the dungeon and slaying the monsters in his way. He took note of his HP. "I need a healing spell."

"Already on it." His HP jumped back up as Akari's character danced around his, then moved back, letting him tank.

"They still need a small push," Kenma told her in a mildly irritated voice, which made her groan and nod. "Akari," at that, the girl actually looked at him. Kenma was on autofight, killing the final boss. As the congratulations screen came up, the characters picking up loot, he spoke again. "Go out with me."

"Sure," the girl smiled, moving to sit closer to him. "I need another dungeon to get that enchantress suit. I need a better suit if we're going to go into the next area." Kenma nodded, recruiting. Akari joined him and they entered, partying instantly.

"Can I kiss you?" He asked as he clicked the autofight. He looked at the girl, who was smirking, her face illuminated by the tablet. She also clicked autofight and then leaned in, on all fours, their faces on the same level.

"Whenever you want to." And he did. Though it was Kenma who actually initiated the kiss, her soft lips moving against his own and causing his whole body to heat up in a weird way that he hadn't experienced before short of a really exciting game, Akari quickly took the lead. She settled between his legs, her own folded under her, hands taking his and pulling them to her waist, under the borrowed shirt. Her lips showed his what to do, how to maneuver in order to make the kiss a cooperation, almost like a conversation. She nipped and licked at his, happy that he was such a quick study and returned the favor. Her hands were in his hair, undoing the band that she'd tied it back with earlier that night, planning on never telling him that it had been a bright pink one. Instead, she let her fingers burrow into the strands, going from scratching his scalp, which seemed to make him groan and squeeze her waist, to pulling at the locks, which made him sigh. A sound rang out through the room, telling them the dungeon had finished.

"Next area, now?" Akari asked as she pulled away, both of them breathless with bruised lips. Kenma's eyes were analytical as he weighted the pros and cons.

"Sure," he nodded, giving in. Akari took the tablet into her hands, not moving from her position. She tapped on the screen, setting her character to autoquest and opening a party. Quickly, Kenma's character joined her. Just as he entered her party and joined her in killing the monsters she needed, her hands caught the edge of his shirt.

"Next area?" She asked again and Kenma smiled, putting his hands up and letting the girl take off the baggy shirt he'd worn. Instantly, those delicate fingers were on his flesh, the band aid scraping his skin as Akari explored the new area. He dove for another kiss, hands going back under her shirt, not wandering any further than the expanse of her soft back and her waist. They both leveled quite a bit through questing that night, too busy exploring new areas, finding out what the other liked, to play the game as they'd originally planned.

* * *

The match with the Cubans seemed to arrive in a blink. The team had watched some of their games, getting familiar with their plays and starters. However, it was one thing to watch the tall, dark-skinned boys play on a screen and a completely other to find them walking into the Nekoma gym. Haru and the coaches immediately went to greet the newcomers, who seemed rather excited to be there.

"Thank you for the game." Haru bowed, speaking in English with the Cuban coach. He grinned back at her, shaking her hand politely when she offered it.

"We're delighted to," the man replied. "The boys were quite excited to see exactly how a Japanese high school was, otherwise we would've booked another gym. Maybe we could even bother you for a tour after the game?"

"Of course!" Haru smiled and then left them to prepare. Nekomata made their team gather with a single wave of his hand, the boys standing around the old coach.

"This will be a hard match for you. These boys are the under nineteen National Team. Don't give them any loopholes to explore and be confident in what you do best," the coach smiled at all of them. "Most of all, don't forget to try out all the new stuff you've been practicing and keep in mind that this is a friendly match."

"Osu!" The boys yelled, gathering together with their hands in the middle, Kuroo taking over the lead word.

"We're like the blood in our veins. We must flow without stopping. Keep the oxygen moving and our minds working." He quoted their team motto, making the boys all grin and get motivated, yelling out and cheering when he was done. With a nod, the boys dispersed, the starters going onto the court and the rest of them either to the bench or to the scoreboard.

"Thank you for the game!" Two sets of languages shouted from their own sides and the game started. Haru sat down next to Nekomata, taking out her clipboard to keep score. The first to serve was Kai, who skillfully tossed the ball into the far back corner of the opposite side, making the receive awkward. Though, the Cubans didn't hesitate with getting it to their setter, who perfectly tossed it to a spiker on the left. The ball hit the other side of the net with force.

"And, there comes the experience." Nekomata nodded. The game progressed quickly during the first set. The Cuban team had turned out to be one with a rather strong attack power. As they rotated, not letting any of the Nekoma serves or spikes deter them in their usual pace, each player proved that he could both spike and dig for a ball. It was a seamless machine, one that didn't appear to have a chink in it. Nekomata called for the first timeout when the score was at 19-8, for the Cubans.

"Their height is intimidating," the coach nodded, "However, it's only height. You've played against these kinds of teams before. Keep connecting and don't forget to breathe. We need our brain working at top efficiency if we are to do something about those fluid plays." Kenma started giving instructions to the team as Haru got distracted. The Cuban team was sitting on their bench, not talking or strategizing. Instead, they seemed calm, drinking water and chatting casually. She caught a part of their conversation in Spanish, from the two members closest to her.

"She's hot man," the libero said to his friend.

"Yeah, there's definitely Japanese in her." The wing-spiker who served mostly jump floaters replied, glancing over to Haru and then giving her a wide, innocent smile. "I like them like that, all petite."

"You reckon she would go out with us after?" the libero joined in the wordless conversation of smiles and polite waves.

"We can definitely ask," the wing-spiker turned back to his teammate. "In the meantime, stuff that setter good. We can't have him making any tricky plays like on that tape." Haru looked to her board and then stood to collect the water bottles from the boys as the break was ending. She came close to Kenma and Kuroo, whispering.

"They're planning to hold Kenma down with the players in the front," she told them, noticing the majority of the team listening. "They're afraid of Kenma's feints." Kenma nodded, giving her his water bottle and went back into the game.

In the end, the first set ended up at 25-18, the Cubans winning rather easily. It was in the second set that Nekoma boys finally kicked into gear. They started having less and less trouble receiving the balls, used to the new angles which the tall team would hit them from. Yaku even picked up a lot of jump floaters confidently. But, the turning point of the match had definitely been Kenma and Fukunaga. With the setter feinting here and there, he was being watched closely, the Cubans trying to maximize read-blocking. While Kenma was marked, that left Fukunaga free to aim for the back line, scoring points one after the other. The set ended at 25-20 for Nekoma.

Again, Haru shamelessly listened to the Cuban team talking in Spanish about their strategies. However, when she went to Kuroo and Kenma to tell them of the plan, the captain put a finger to her lips.

"We need to try to do this without knowing their strategy," he smiled. "We appreciate the effort, really, but this is a practice match and we need it to evolve."

"Okay," Haru nodded, collecting the water bottles once again. "Good luck! Go and win!"

"Osu!" And Nekoma lost the third set after making it a deuce numerous times, at 35-33 for the Cubans. Yamamoto had done great work scoring. Kuroo and Kenma had been brilliant at the net. Yaku had picked up all the balls he could. Inuoka had been a complete beast, spiking and commit-blocking the toughest players. Fukunaga's shots perfectly landed on the back line. Kai did quite a few wipe-outs. In the end, the Cubans had simply been better.

"Thank you for the match!" All the boys yelled, shaking hands and then going to the coach of the other team for final comments. Nekomata praised them, giving them some tips on what they could work on, while Haru stood to the side, smiling. As the Cuban boys were going towards their own bench, she tapped the wing-spiker and libero she'd heard talking earlier on their shoulders.

"Thank you for the compliments," she told them in Spanish after they had turned to her. "I'd love to go out with you sometime, but you need to keep in mind that I have school." The look on their faces was priceless, but then they started laughing.

"Jesus, this is embarrassing!" the wing-spiker laughed it off, then gave the girl a strong, confident handshake. "Let's go out for coffee and some Japanese food sometime! We're in desperate need of a guide here, nobody in our group speaks much Japanese." And they all exchanged numbers merrily.

* * *

The gym was huge. Haru turned in a circle, her head spinning, as she took in the whole area. There were people all around, mulling, pushing, talking. But, what interested her more were the tall ceilings of the dome and the numerous banners of all the schools that were participating. The Inter-High was starting, and she was probably the most nervous member of Nekoma. Yet, despite all that, she couldn't help but stare.

"You'll get lost, Haru." Yaku managed to notice her gawking on time, grabbing her hand and pulling her behind their team and towards gym number four, where they would play their first game against Matsubara High.

"Morisuke…" Haru's voice trailed off, wide eyes meeting the inquisitive stare of the libero. "Are all official gyms this big?" he laughed, shrugging.

"I haven't been to all of them," they walked through the sea of people, spectators and players alike, trying to keep up with Kuroo and the team who seemed to be cutting the crowd in half with confident strides. "But, they are all pretty big. You should see the Nationals, though," Yaku grinned at her, excited. "Now, _that's_ a big gym." Haru nodded, mouth still open as she took everything in.

They arrived at the gym door, finally away from the crowd. Kuroo was turning in circles when the last two people joined the group.

"Ah, there you are," he nodded at the libero and the manager. "Have you seen Kenma?"

"Not again." Yaku groaned.

"Eh?" Haru looked from the libero to the captain and then back to Yaku.

"Kenma always gets lost," Kuroo sighed. "Chances are eighty percent he'll get lost before the first game and fifty-fifty for the next one." Haru quickly spun in a circle, standing on her tiptoes, trying to find the familiar pudding head.

"I'll go look for him." She told the two team members and with a nod from Kuroo, she was off. She was certain she heard Yaku telling her to be careful, but she was already back in the sea of people moving to the stands. Haru pushed her way through to the entrance and then mapped out their route towards the gym. She didn't see Kenma anywhere. She'd texted him multiple times and called twice. It hadn't worked. She would have to do it by foot, then.

Haru finally spotted the sign for a bathroom near gym three, deciding that perhaps he'd headed there. She unashamedly walked straight into the men's bathroom, surprised looks following her. But, she didn't care at that point. Checking her phone, she saw that Kenma hadn't replied to any of her calls or texts and that they still had fifteen minutes. The girl noticed that all the urinals were empty and then bent over, looking under the stalls for feet. Sure enough, there was someone in the last one. But, not just one pair of feet, but two.

"Kenma?" Haru raised her hand to knock, recognizing the bottom of the Nekoma red jersey. The door of the stall opened under her gentle tap, showing her a rather interesting scene. Kenma was there, sure enough. But, so was Akari. In fact, the boy seemed to have his hands under the girl's shirt, their lips locked tightly together. Haru felt herself freeze, face blushing. Akari came up for air, turning around and grinning at her casually, as if she'd just greeted her at school.

"Hey, Haru!" There were a few seconds where Kenma seemed to sigh and Akari continued shining brightly at Haru. Then, the manager came to her senses.

"Hi Haru?!" She yelled, face flaming red, in anger this time.

* * *

In the end, Kenma was on time for the match, though he couldn't stop sighing and his lips were a tad red. Akari, on the other hand, had had a quick hushed conversation with Haru, promising to have a longer one later. She was now in the stands, just behind their team, yelling encouragements. Haru had also spotted a young girl with pigtails there, and was told by Yaku that it was Yamamoto's little sister. But, not even the fact that her friend and the cute little girl seemed to be chatting animatedly and that their team seemed to be in peak condition could deter Haru's onset of being simply pissed. She didn't know why she was so miffed. She had reasoned to herself that it was because Kenma and Akari had behaved rather irresponsibly before a big match, despite the fact that the girl had called it a 'good luck' kiss. It had been more like a 'good luck' make out session. Haru had witnessed their passionate lip lock, too, which was an image that wouldn't leave her mind soon.

"Where'd you find him?" Kuroo asked, wandering over to the girl who was arranging bottles with precision, which could only spell trouble. The third-year could tell that she was pissed off about something.

"In oral surgery." Haru remarked, tossing a glare at Kenma who had the audacity to blush and sigh, before walking out of earshot.

"Errr, what?" Kuroo asked and Haru shook her head.

"I'll tell you later," she promised. "Go win!" She yelled to all the boys as the start of the match resounded through the gym, the starts being called to the court.

* * *

The match was going well. They pulled ahead early and managed to get it over in two sets. It wasn't that their opponent wasn't skilled. It was just the difference of having the chance to play against both the Cuban and the Brazilian National Team in practice matches. The struggle of the two intense games had made the Nekoma boys focus in a way Haru hadn't seen before.

Yaku seemed to be in top form, not letting any balls escape him. Kuroo and Kenma were in perfect sync. Kai was in peak condition at the net and in the back. Yamamoto seemed to be on fire. Fukunaga only had one out on his pinpoint balls. It was all falling into place perfectly. At one time, they even let Inuoka and Lev switch, the tall half-Russian making many mistakes, but also dealing quite a few blows with spikes from an enviable height.

"Congrats!" Haru was enveloped in a sweaty hug from all sides, the Nekoma team rejoicing as they left the gym. She immediately gave them all food, granola bars, and some juice, making sure that it had all the necessary ingredients. Kuroo wandered over, stepping next to the girl who didn't slow down, instead digging through the bag, searching for other items they would need for the next match, which was in three hours.

"How're you handling the official matches?" He asked her conversationally, eating his bar. Haru pulled out the bananas next, breaking one off the stem and giving it to him. She liked that about the captain. He always made sure that she was comfortable, despite all the grief he gave her with his teasing. Kuroo was very attentive and had stepped in numerous times when she'd looked out of place or lost.

"I'm managing." She winked and walked around, before rejoining him. Kuroo looked at peace, eyes gazing at the crowd of players around them. "Are you doing alright?" The third-year looked down at her.

"Yeah," he nodded. "I was thinking, I'll stay on the team, no matter how the Inter-High goes." Haru's head snapped up. She knew that it was normal for the third-year players to quit clubs mid-June, letting the newer generations take care of the rest. Mostly, it was because of their exam prep.

"But, if you want to enter college…" Kuroo looked at her then and grinned.

"I've worked out a schedule that I can follow alright," he told her. "I should be fine. Kai and Yaku are going to stay, too," Haru nodded. "They agreed to follow my study schedule, so we will all be pretty busy soon."

"I bet," Haru said quietly. She looked up at him to find his gaze on the gym door, almost nostalgic. "Will you major in biology in the end?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "I didn't get scouted and it looks like I won't until the end of the season. Biology is what I have left." When he noticed her looking at her feet, fingers clenching tightly together in front of her, he lowered his hand to them, taking hers into his one. Her hands were so small compared to his. "I love biology, I don't mind studying it. Besides, there will always be college volleyball club."

"I'm going to be sad to see you leave," Haru admitted, letting him intertwine their fingers together. Kuroo smiled at her coyly.

"Then, you'd better use the time you have left with me to enlighten yourself further," he cheekily tapped her nose, before walking off with a shrug. "Ah, youth, so inexperienced."

"I have plenty of experience, I'll have you know!" Haru couldn't resist yelling after him, making the tall boy laugh.

* * *

It was right before their second match that Haru spotted Bokuto and Akaashi. They were walking around the stands full of T-shirts with different volleyball-related prints on them, picking and choosing. Haru had been on a similar hunt herself.

"Bokuto-san, Akaashi-kun!" She greeted happily, waving at them with a smile.

"Hey hey hey! It's Haru-chan!" Bokuto came over instantly, drawing attention to himself, as always, to give her a tight hug and ruffle her hair. Akaashi simply nodded, quietly greeting her back.

"Picking out some shirts?" The manager asked conversationally.

"Bokuto-san always gets one or two." Akaashi nodded, pointing to the wing-spiker whose head seemed to be spinning in all directions as if he couldn't choose.

"Ah, Bokuto-san, I was wondering," Haru began, making his gaze focus on her. "Do you have some time tomorrow to go for drinks? My treat." Suddenly, the tall wing-spiker put his hands on her shoulders, stepping back to an appropriate distance from her, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry, Haru-chan, I must decline your confession," he replied solemnly, making Haru frown. "I can't do that to my Kubroo."

"Eh, what?" Haru asked, confused.

"I don't think she's asking you out, Bokuto-san." Akaashi piped up. That made the girl laugh.

"No, no, I'm asking you out, definitely," the statement made both boys frown. "But not in a romantic sense. Of course, Akaashi-kun, you are invited, as well." Bokuto's head tilted to the side. "I actually wanted to talk about Kuroo…"

"Give me your phone!" Bokuto instantly revived, eagerly waiting for the girl to hand over her cellphone so that he could punch in his number. "Akaaaaashi, you too."

"But, Bokuto-san, we've already exchanged numbers." The setter replied calmly.

"Eh, when?!"

* * *

 **I. Had. Too. Much. Fun. With. This. Chapter. Hope you all did too!**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **AmIValid2:  
I shall always call you out on your smut hahahhaha Though, it did inspire the beginning of this chapter :P Jesus, you need to write your own fic! I wanna read more of it! Stop writing fanfiction for fanfiction xD  
Awwww thanks! I really enjoy playing around with my OCs and canon and seeing how they fit together :D I swear Kuroo and Haru are getting there… soon… ish? KenAri is on fire though xD I loved writing the start of this chapter cause I can't wait to hear what you'll say! Hahahahaha  
I need to show more Chihiro, I feel like, since I've made her out to be completely evil xD  
And Yamamoto is such a dork! I love him xD I was laughing my arse off when I made Kenma trip him xD  
Hope you enjoyed the new chapter :D  
Cheers!**

 **Rosto'sGirl:  
Hey there thanks for the review!  
I don't like her either, but I love her? She's an OC in the end hahahaha Kuroo did good, didn't he? Urgh, if I can send in some orders too… A Kuroo, a Kenma, a Noya, an Akaashi? Gosh, wait, there's more xD An Oikawa? No, wait, we'd kill each other… oops xD My friend calls me Crappykawa LOL xD Oikawa and me together, someone would get their eyed pecked out… Well, anyways, let me know if you find an ordering place for them boys xD  
Aren't they cute xD I think they're cute too xD I just couldn't help myself today :P Hope you enjoyed a bit of spice :)  
Cheers!**

 **Valen Goncalvez:  
Awww come now, she's not that bad I promise xD But, she did deserve that a bit xD**

* * *

 **Omake:**

Kenma was walking behind Kai, keeping track of the red jersey through his fringe so that he knew which way to go. It was early in the morning and he still felt half-asleep. Then, a hand caught his elbow, pulling him to the side. When the movement finally stopped, he found himself pressed back against the wall, Akari in front of him.

"Good luck today." She smiled, leaning in and he met her halfway. Their lips molded together perfectly, like they always did. It was a move that always made him feel all too aware of every single part of himself and he relished every second of kissing her. When she finally separated from him with a sigh, Kenma opened his eyes, looking at her.

"Another one?" He asked, hopeful. "For a lot of good luck?" Akari giggled, letting the boy pull her into the closest men's room, scaring a poor guy who was using the urinal. Soon, the door of one of the stalls shut behind the couple, the two forgetting to lock it. Instead, Kenma was already pulling the girl in for another kiss, her hands twisted in his jersey. He really hoped that she would tie his hair for him again.

* * *

 **I'm sailing. I'm sorry. KenAri sailing. Byeeee!**


	22. The Inter-High continues

**At this time, I have to thank Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging the wonderful book which I live by with the 10 steps to a relationship progress. If you haven't read it, I fully recommend it with passion. It is everything a teen coming of age story should be, and it is positively hilarious!**

 **Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

 **Chapter 22: The Inter-High continues**

Kenma was extremely comfortable. He was lying down, his head on Akari's stomach and her legs around him, as she fed him snacks while he played his game. She had chosen to sit that one out, because it wasn't a genre she enjoyed tremendously. Kenma, on the other hand, was owning the first-person shooter game, plowing through the enemy team with incredible skills. Every once in a while, during the time it took to recruit a team, she would bend down, kissing him upside down. Sometimes it was slow, butterfly touches of lips molding together. At other times, when the team recruiting took some time, she pressed harder, more insistent kisses on his mouth, which he was more than happy to reciprocate.

Their new relationship status hadn't really changed their dynamics much. Akari still went to her own club and did her own thing at the mall. Sometimes Kenma would join her, helping her pick out outfits or accessories. At other times, it would be Haru who would do it, still not knowing the fact that Akari was now attached. Kenma, on the other hand, enjoyed their time together, which mostly consisted of her bounding over to his desk during lunch or hanging out at one of their places, playing games. They both weren't big on PDA, so they took their time to enjoy each other's company when they were alone. It was mostly spent in tender kisses, hand holding and leaning on one another, desperate for that skin to skin contact. It was, long story short, perfect, in Kenma's opinion. There was no pressure to rush, no nagging and most importantly, it was always interesting. He felt like he was being led through a tutorial of what a relationship was like by a sensual NPC.

"Do you think it worked?" Kenma asked once they broke for air, and for another run at the game. Akari hummed, the sound vibrating through her stomach and caressing the back of his head. He shamelessly snuggled into her.

"She was pissed," the girl said. "That should be motivation enough to do something."

"Kill me?"

"Or me," Akari laughed. "I'm not really sure who she's going to murder, though." Kenma's eyes peeled off the screen as he stood behind a wall, in deep cover, to give her a loving look and a small smile. Then, he was back in the game. "But, she definitely won't take this lying down. I just hope that it fuels jealousy and not homicidal tendencies."

"Me too." Kenma replied, sighing as her hands burrowed in his hair, definitely one of the favorite things that she did in their time alone together. "That feels good." Akari had told him that he needed to communicate what he liked and what he didn't like, and he was doing his best. She pressed a soft hiss to his forehead, not bothering his game.

"You've told me that one before." She giggled.

"It also feels good when your hands are under my shirt." Kenma coyly commented. Akari's fingers slid from his hair, going down his shoulders and then sliding to his chest. He took in a shaky breath, watching as his character got killed for the first time that day.

"But, it distracts you too much," Akari giggled, pulling her fingers back up and resuming playing with his hair.

"It makes my fingers freeze up." The boy admitted.

"We'll have to work on that, I suppose." Another kiss pressed to his temples, before the girl grabbed a snack for herself from the bowl, giving him half. Kenma continued gaming, almost falling asleep to the nice movements of the girl's hands in his hair. She was a welcome distraction from the game, which he never thought he would say.

* * *

The café was a rather nice little place in the wall, away from prying eyes. It was decorated with white wooden tables and chairs, giving it a rustic feel. Though, the tablecloths made up for the overly girly set-up with a nice dose of elegance in black and white. The menu was rather good, featuring a list of delicious drinks and food at affordable prices. Haru wouldn't have been able to pick a better place herself. She was glad that Akaashi had taken the initiative, telling the trio that was going for drinks in the group chat about the small café.

So, after a long day of matches, which had both tired the team out and made them revel in the victories, Haru had taken an hour to go home and clean up, before heading out to meet the two Fukurodani players she had begun calling her friends. It was in an instant that she knew they had arrived to the café. All heads turned to look at Bokuto, who, even in his casual clothes, drew attention to himself.

"Hey hey hey!" The wing-spiker walked over, taking a seat on the opposite side of the girl. "Haru-chan! Looking good."

"Thanks," the girl smiled, standing up to give them both brief hugs. "What would you like? They have shakes here which sounds absolutely delicious!" Akaashi sat by the window, pulling the menu to him, Bokuto forgoing his own to look at his instead.

"That one has biscuits! I want that one!" Bokuto was always loud, but it was a nice change of pace. His energy was contagious and soon Haru found herself giggling at his goofs. As the server left after taking their orders, biscuit shake for Bokuto, a banana one for Akaashi and a blueberry one for the girl, she got to the gist of their meeting.

"Say, Bokuto-san, I've been thinking of what you told me that time at the sink," that made the wing-spiker lean forward, a spark in his eyes. "You said Kuroo liked me and talked about me in annoying amounts."

"Of course, he does! He's smitten!" Bokuto laughed, making Akaashi sigh. "He kept texting me about the new manager the whole April, after he met you. He's always been jealous that we have two and you guys had none."

"Let her speak, Bokuto-san." Akaashi intervened, making Haru smile and Bokuto pout.

"Well, I was hoping that you could tell me what exactly it was that he said that he liked about me?" Haru told the wing-spiker with a coy smile. Akaashi instantly grinned, catching onto her plan.

"Wait, why don't you just ask him yourself?" Bokuto frowned, making the setter frown at him.

"Because she wants to use those preferences to her advantage, right, Haru-san?" Haru nodded in glee.

"You see, he's been on my case, always teasing me and he knows exactly which buttons to push," she explained as their shakes arrived. "So, I was hoping to give him some of what he dishes out back?" Bokuto grinned at her.

"Alright, alright, I don't quite get it, but it should help my Kubroo, so I'll tell you!" He, however, got distracted by his shake, trying it and then gushing about how good it was to Akaashi.

"Do you have something painful planned for Kuroo in order to force him to make the first move, Haru-san?" The setter seemed rather used to Bokuto's short attention span, ignoring his excited dissection of the shake and focusing on the topic at hand.

"Well, I'd definitely prefer it if he would make his intentions clear to me himself," Haru laughed. "I mean, being asked out by a proxy," she nodded at Bokuto, "is pretty lame don't you think?"

"You were doubting the integrity of his actions?" the wing-spiker seemed to have been paying attention to their conversation despite his fascination with the newly arrived shakes. "Did I use 'integrity' right?" He asked Akaashi and after the setter nodded, he pushed the tall glass away from him, leaning in to be on the same level as Haru's face. "I'll tell you something about Kuroo. I've known him for more than a few years and I _know_ that he doesn't do anything half-heartedly. If he'd been waiting, he's been waiting because he thinks you need it." Haru felt herself blush, eyes wide at the confession. "Besides, he's a horrible coward when it comes to girls because he doesn't have experience."

"Don't say it like that, Bokuto-san," Akaashi gently scolded.

"What, I'm just being honest?" Bokuto defended. Haru, on the other hand, was in her own mind, dissecting the memories. True enough, Kuroo had shown interest. But, it seemed that whenever it got a bit too dicey and intimate, he would pull away again. Was it really inexperience?

"But, he's been in a relationship before?" Bokuto scoffed, waving her off.

"That thing in first year?" the wing-spiker asked. "That was a joke. I don't like to diss on my bro, but that was a bad call. That girl, Matsuko? Mariko? Whatever," he abandoned his search for the name in his head. "She wasn't interested in him as much as in the status which the relationship gave her. She was always nagging at him and complaining about one thing or the other."

"Ah," Haru hadn't really planned to hear all about Kuroo's ex, but apparently the conversation had gone there.

"It was a good thing when they finally broke up," Bokuto nodded. "Now, you, on the other hand, we all approve of. I mean, isn't that the first step, being approved by all of the friends?" Haru's head tilted to the side as she mulled over those words.

"Bokuto-san, you're surprisingly thoughtful today." Akaashi jumped in, reminding them all of his quiet, banana shake eating presence.

"Akaashi, how can you say that?" Bokuto whined. "I'm always thoughtful!" Haru couldn't help laughing at their antics. Then, Bokuto looked at her again, seemingly recovered from the low blow of the setter. "So, here's what he won't stop talking about…" And Haru got all the dirt on Kuroo, so glad that Bokuto was as much of a gossip as she had pegged him to be.

* * *

Haru was sitting at the salon on the chair, ready to get her hair all pretty. Nana was on her left and Akari on her right, the girls hanging out. Yet, there were more silences than there had been the last time they'd done that. And, those quiet moments in conversation came up between the two high schoolers. Nana had done her best to laugh the tension off and try to keep the talk flowing, but at that point, the three girls were just sitting there, in silence. The model was glancing at the two friends every now and again, waiting anxiously for the explosion that was sure to happen.

"So," Akari began in an uncharacteristically even tone. "Are you going to enlighten the classroom, Haru? What's the problem?" Haru took a deep breath and then looked over to her friend, not noticing Nana wince in the background.

"Why?" The girl asked.

"Why what?" Akari fired back with more anger to her tone.

"Umm, girls, let's not fight." Nana tried to buffer, but got ignored.

"Why are you going out with Kenma?" Haru asked, frowning. "Is this some form of payback? Punishment? Showing me that I was wrong to doubt Kuroo? Are you just messing with him? Cause if that's so, then-"

"I really like Kenma." Akari cut her off with an icy tone. Haru nodded, then waited. "I really, _really_ like him. I might even love him. He makes me feel like me, more than anything else. It's like coming up for air after diving for a long time, if you know what I mean?" Haru nodded again.

"Okay, I approve then." Nana let out a sigh behind them, noticing that both girls were seemingly dropping their fight. "I'll give him a stern talking-to, though. I can't have him hurting you." Akari grinned, leaning back in her chair and letting the hairdresser do her job more easily. "Of course, consider this your own talk. Don't hurt Kenma."

"I won't consciously hurt him." Akari replied. "I mean, he's so sweet. Do you know he goes to buy extra strawberry milk before lunch because I like it? And he just gives it to me, too!"

"Oh, gosh, how did he ask you out?" Nana gushed, sensing that the whole thing was over. Akari's smile shone like the sun.

"While playing a game," she told them, making the two girls balk. "He just went 'Akari, go out with me' all stern and serious like it was some kind of a business deal." Then, the girl blushed, her hands going to her cheeks and she squealed. "Gosh, I would let him do whatever he wants!"

"Whatever, eh?" Haru asked, smirking.

"Oh my God, Haru!" Akari blushed even more, slapping her friend's arm. "Okay, maybe."

"You're kidding!" Nana peeked out from her seat, eyes wide. "High schoolers sure move fast!"

"We haven't, like, done it or anything." Akari shook her head, the smile still present on her face.

"That means they got close to it." Haru smirked at Nana, making Akari blubber in embarrassment and Nana gasp.

"How close?" The model asked.

"Well, we went to like to…" she trailed off.

"Okay, okay, let me help you focus," Nana took pity on the girl. "So, there are ten steps to every relationship activity. One is hand holding."

"Done, even before we got together." Akari nodded. Haru realized that she, too, had passed that stage.

"The second step is arm around shoulders or on the waist." Nana sagely nodded.

"Done," Akari grinned. Haru made a mental note that she'd done it, too.

"Next is a goodnight kiss and then four is a kiss lasting over three minutes." Nana told her. Luckily, Haru didn't immediately flash back to anything that time. She released the breath she'd been keeping in.

"Well, we haven't done any goodnight kissing, but we've made out before?" Akari piped up. "Does that count?"

"Oh yeah," Nana grinned. "Then, step four and half is hand action, as in, you know, kissing and stuff. And five is open mouth kissing."

"We haven't done any of those." Akari admitted.

"Shot up to number four, then." Nana nodded sagely. "And you've been together for?"

"A week or so officially."

"Akari! Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Haru complained.

"Because I knew I would have to deal with grumpy Haru, and I don't like her." Akari grinned. "Say, Nanacchi, what's the rest of the list?" The girl didn't let her friend go into a rant she knew would be coming.

"Well, there's six, which is tongue action, so French. Then, you have six and half, ear action!" The two high schoolers made sounds of disgust. "You won't know you like it until a boy sticks their tongue in your ear, don't worry," Nana laughed. "Six and three quarters is neck nuzzling and kisses."

"Oh, we've done that one!" Akari piped up with a grin.

"I didn't know Kenma moved that fast. He doesn't look like it." Haru laughed.

"Sure doesn't! But, he is super good at it. Like, he had me the other day with his mouth on my neck and God! He does miracles with that tongue! It should be illegal."

"I hope you know that I won't ever be able to look at him the same again." Haru grumbled, shaking her head.

"What's number seven?" Akari asked through laughter.

"That would be upper body action, outdoors." Nana told the girls through her own laugh. "Then you have eight, upper body inside, with or without the shirt." When she didn't get interrupted, she continued. "There's also a fantasy eight, which is when you know your partner is thinking about the actual eight." That made both girls laugh. "Nine is below waist activity, can include some flashing of the panties. Finally, number ten is all the way, or the full monty."

"We also may have done number eight, fantasy eight and some of the nine." Akari admitted, her cheeks going red again.

"Oh, God, I'm definitely not going to be able to look at Kenma the same again!" Haru whined, but Nana was already on another page, asking Akari to show her pictures of this Kenma that she was going out with.

* * *

Haru ended up texting with Shimizu Kiyoko that evening. The Karasuno manager and her had exchanged numbers during the practice games and they had regularly been talking, mostly through instant messages. Shimizu had told her that their team had been defeated by Seijō, a powerful high school in Miyagi, just a few days ago. Now that their own matches were being held, Haru made sure to update the girl.

They had become quickly comfortable with each other, talking about the managerial duties they each did for their boys. Shimizu had even asked her if she was dating Kuroo already, which had made Haru blush and deny it vehemently. Though, on the third day of Inter-High selections, the Nekoma manager walked into the large gym comfortably and with confidence, the last text she had received from Shimizu still on her mind.

"Boys!" Haru called out, getting the Nekoma team's attention. "Campfire!" Instantly, she was crowded by their tall forms. That would've bothered her a while back, but she found the action comfortable these days. It was like she was surrounded by her own personal guard squad. She took out her phone, opening the picture. "Karasuno sends their congratulations and wishes us luck!"

"I wanna see!" She didn't know who took her phone, but it got passed around, the boys all looking at the image. They started cheering, high-fiving each other and generally getting pumped, like Haru knew they would. Finally, the group wandered away, discussing the best strategies for the upcoming match, leaving her and Kuroo standing there, alone.

"Here you go." The third-year handed her her phone, grinning.

"Thanks." Haru said as she made certain to brush her fingers against his while taking it. "Good luck out there." The girl knew she would have to do it. She needed to do it for all of this to work. She leaned in, circling her arms around Kuroo's middle and squeezing. It took him a second to hug her back, but she was already pulling away from his embrace. She gave him a smile and then bounded off, ready to do the next step in her coy plan of retribution.

* * *

Kuroo decided that Haru had been possessed, or something. She had to be. There was no other explanation. Other than the playful flirting they had been exchanging, she had begun doing other things. Like that hug before their first match. She'd given him that tight embrace on her own, pulling back too quickly for his taste. But, the action had done two things. She'd pressed the length of her body against his, letting him feel every curve of her form on his own. The other was the fact that she'd left his jersey smelling like her signature scent for a long while. Even that afternoon, when he'd put it on to keep warm in between two games, he could smell the coconuts and coffee.

It was during the first match that she'd dealt a horrible blow to him, though. A very annoying, horrible blow. She'd given him numerous coy looks from under her long lashes, which made him certain that she knew how much he liked the fact that she had large doe-like eyes framed by thick lashes. But, the looks he could handle. It had been the wrapping of his finger which she'd done, after he'd jammed it on a ball and had to get swapped out that had done him in.

"Does it hurt?" The girl asked, checking it for breaks and stopping the blood coming from the nail with a focused expression.

"Not that much," the captain knew he would get subbed out for the rest of the game in case it did hurt too much. "It's nothing I haven't done before." Then, she proceeded to pull on the finger lightly, making certain that any dislocations would snap back into their place, before wrapping it with tape securely. Not too tight and not too loose, just perfectly.

"Be careful with it." She told him, giving him one of those eyelash looks. Then, she seemed to change her mind and didn't let go. "A little painkiller for the rest of the match." And Haru pulled his hand up, gently pressing a kiss to the taped finger. She'd done him in with that single action, making him a blushing mess. Though, he'd managed to finish his game alright.

Still, something had changed. It was like she was more confident about doing little things that seemed all to innocent to be unconscious. She had planned it all, he was certain. During their second match, her hairband had come off, hair loose down her back. That had proven to be a huge distraction anytime they called a timeout. He couldn't stop looking at those locks, for once properly groomed, swaying hypnotically. Kenma had even given him a knowing smirk. He was being quite obvious, Kuroo had realized.

But, not even the teasing look from the setter could help him stop. Kuroo was painfully weak to what Haru was doing, and she seemed to know that all too well. He cursed himself, wondering if she was actually more perceptive than he thought. The final straw, though, had been when she'd congratulated them on their victory, giving them all some kind of a reward, from hugs, to messing up their hair and finally, when she came up to Kuroo, a soft kiss on the cheek. Just as he was about to comment on it, she went and did the same thing to Yamamoto, making the boy almost pass out. That was definitely when Kuroo had had enough.

"Haru," he grabbed her wrist as they were leaving the gym, pulling her to the side. The girl looked up at him through her lashes, very innocently. She even went as far as to bite her bottom lip gently with her teeth, making his eyes focus on it and his brain promptly clock out.

"Yes, sempai?"

"Erm," Kuroo started, then tried to force his brain to work. "Urgh, you- I mean- erm-" Haru was looking at him expectantly. She let those straight teeth unhook her lower lip, making it pop out and slide into place, glistening. Nope, his brain was out for the day. "Never mind." Kuroo, blushing profusely, walked away. He could hear her laughing in the background, following him to the team van.

* * *

"There is an unfortunate fact that we need to face," Nekomata said at the meeting after the day of matches. "Itachiyama has been sorted in our bracket." He glanced over at Haru who had a complete 'yikes' face on and then apologized with a bow. "No, no, that jinx has nothing to do with it, I'm sure," Nekomata waved her off. "But, facts are facts. Tomorrow, we will be playing Jindai, and if all goes well, we will face Itachiyama the following day." The boys looked discouraged, murmuring amongst themselves.

"Boys," Haru got their attention, speaking up from her spot next to Naoi. "You've done so well so far. If you manage to beat the next opponent, you will be entering the best six schools in the area!"

"Jindai has some of the best combination attacks in the prefecture," Yaku piped up. "They're very fluid and always make it look like you need two liberos to deal with them."

"So, like the Cuban team that we played?" Haru asked with an encouraging smile. "You have experience with a team that has both high attack power and great fluid plays! You'll be alright tomorrow, I believe in you!"

"Osu!" the boys chorused, their mood changing. Nekomata gave Haru's shoulder a tap, signaling she'd done a good job at keeping their spirits up.

"Then, go home, eat a good, home cooked meal and rest up. I will see you here tomorrow at seven sharp. The match begins at eight thirty." The coach gave them all a nod. "Dismissed." The boys started packing up, Kenma walking over to Kuroo as they exchanged the items they had lent each other for the match.

"Kenma," the tall captain straightened, his eyes wandering to Haru before going back to his friend. "I got it." Kenma nodded with a small smile. "Tomorrow, if we win, I'll ask her out."

* * *

 **Story time: I had this friend back in elementary, a guy, who was totally one of my best friends. And, I have to say, this is where I learnt that boys are** _ **horrible**_ **gossips. Like, they relish in it, it's** _ **insane**_ **. I couldn't resist making Bokuto a total gossip, too xD**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **KirikaAndo:  
Thanks for the review!  
Akari and Kenma are like, both steering this ship going crazy xD Kuroo and Haru left behind at the shore, waving xD Wait, were Kuroo and Haru even the ship here? :P  
Cheers! **

**AmIValid2:  
Thanks so much for the review and for all the PMs we've been exchanging xD Makes me want to write like a madwoman xD  
I'm happy to send you some revive spells in order to torture you again with this slowpoke couple :P Glad that you enjoyed the chapter :D  
KenAri is, like, on fire right now xD They aren't even looking back at the shore xD I love how they ended up getting together before Kuroo and Haru hahahahhaa It made me laugh evilly at my screen while I was typing it :P  
Oooooooh Kenmaaaa! Gosh, I love the fact that you mentioned you enjoy my interpretation of him xD I've also noticed that a lot of people write him as very shy, standoffish or submissive. However, I don't think that he's like that. There is actually a whole analysis on his character done on YouTube by a psychiatrist. She noted that he had 'spoiled kid' syndrome regarding his indifference towards things and that he's probably an introvert. That definitely doesn't make him submissive or super shy, though. So, I think he'd be pretty forward when it came down to someone he cared about genuinely, like for example with Hinata and Kuroo.  
KenAri smut definitely coming sometime soon :P They ready girl, they ready xD wait, weren't they the intended ship in this story? xD  
I honestly loved making that contrast, between the teasing and the flirting and on the other hand, their genuine innocence. Like, most of the outspoken and very flirty people are actually rather vanilla. So, I wanted to be as realistic as possible in the interpretation there :D  
As for them having their own things that they do separately, I think a lot of authors forget an important detail: a relationship where two people are completely immersed only in each other is, almost always, dysfunctional and quite commonly abusive, in some way. Isolation is never good, especially not in a relationship. I'm not going down that road, nuh-uh!  
The fact that the third years are leaving kinda breaks my heart, too T_T  
Thanks so much for leaving me a note, it really helps T_T I love reviews, they make me so happy. I feel like Takeda-sensei after the Shiratorizawa match on most days while reading them xD  
I hope you're feeling better! Take care with those meds :D**

 **Rosto'sGirl:  
Thanks for the review!  
I'm glad that you like Kenma and Akari together :D I was having a lot of fun with them, as you can see :P  
Kuroo is a total sweetie xD He's a marshmallow which thinks it's super duper hot xD I love writing him like that hahahahha Together? Maybe… together? Hmmm soon? Ish? Perhaps? xD I'm kidding, soon xD  
Urgh, I'll take some jerseys too xD  
Best!**

 **Madama Crimson:  
Gosh your review cracked me up xD Thanks so much for the comment!  
A little bit of spice, a little bit of sugar, I like to keep you guys on your toes :P Though, as we progress, there should be more spice, just fair warning… I mean, if we're going to be realistic with relationships, it's kind of a necessity xD  
I'm so glad that you liked the way Kenma asked Akari out! I was thinking how to do it and that scene just… I could see it in my head xD It seemed really realistic :D  
I loved writing the Haru and Bokuto scene xD They make me so happy when they're hanging out xD We will see yet who will make the first move… for now, we torture Kuroo some more xD  
Hope you enjoyed the chapter!**

 **Kimikokimono:  
Thanks so much for the review!  
I'm glad that you're enjoying the chapters :D I'm doing my best with the matches, but I feel like I have very few for 22 chapters xD I promise there will be more when we get to the Fukurodani group camp… I'm having a bit of a hard time making up games on my own xD  
Akari and Kenma are like, breezing through shit xD I love it! They're both no-nonsense people xD Kuroo is a slowpoke on the other hand xD  
Kenma and Akari fic urghhhh well idk? Maybe some drabbles? xD It wasn't planned! It just happened xD Idk what to do with myself now hahahahah  
Cheers!**

 **Myherogal22:  
Hey! Thanks for the review :D  
I'm glad that you're enjoying the story and think that it has potential :D I'll do my best not to disappoint :D  
Best!**

* * *

 **Omake:**

Yaku caught up to Haru on his way out of the gym. He fell into step with her and immediately got her to take her earbuds out, giving him a smile.

"Are you trying to kill him or get him to snap?" The libero asked. Haru shrugged.

"Either works for me." She replied with a coy smile, making him laugh.

"Well, he deserves it, let's be honest," Yaku agreed, the two walking to the school gates. "But, it looked like he was in physical pain. Kuroo, the Master of Provocation finally getting a taste of his own medicine. I kind of like it."

"Oh, he came up to me after the match today, pulled me aside," Haru gushed, looking around to make certain they were alone. "He didn't end up saying much though, just 'erm, urgh, ergh'. It was hilarious!" Yaku couldn't help himself, he bent over, guffawing.

"I'm going to treasure that image in my head, you know." He told her, then waved, leaving to the left for his train stop. "Never going to stop teasing him about it, either!"

"Make sure you don't!" Haru waved, then leaned on the gate, waiting for Kuroo and Kenma.

* * *

 **Hope you guys enjoyed!**


	23. Coping mechanism

**A quick update before school today, so you guys will have to wait till tomorrow for another chapter, if I manage to write it out in time :D Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

 **Btw, congrats to us all! We're officially ruling the KurooxOC category on the website hahhaahah**

* * *

 **Chapter 23: Coping mechanism**

The final whistle blew, once short once long, signaling the end of the match. Kuroo put his hands on his hips, head falling back, sweat pouring down his face and neck. He stood there, for a second, breathing in the scent of the court. The salonpas. It was the smell of the tournament. He closed his eyes shut, tight, making sure that he wouldn't let himself cry. The Inter-High was over for Nekoma.

"We need to line up." Kai's voice was somehow lower than usual, his hand on Kuroo's shoulder. "Hold it together, man." The captain nodded, opening his eyes and then leading the Nekoma team to line up and greet the Jindai players. They had barely lost. Just by a few points. It had been neck and neck, for three sets. In the end, the other team had just been better.

"Thank you for the match!" Kuroo shouted, leading the Nekoma boys to do the same. Then, they walked to the back line, greeting the people in the stands who had come to cheer. Kuroo caught sight of Akari, looking absolutely heartbroken next to Lev's sister. She was crying. "Thank you for the support!" The third-year bowed, tears finally falling from his eyes. When he straightened, he made sure to wipe them on the sleeve of his jersey before heading to the bench. He didn't look at Haru, only focused on Nekomata and Naoi. He couldn't look at the girl. He had broken his promise to himself. They hadn't won. He couldn't face her.

"You played a good game," Nekomata praised them, despite the loss. "All we can do is simply be the better team at Spring High. Let's go, meeting will be when we get to the school."

Kuroo chose to sit next to Kenma on the van, welcoming the setter's silence and dedicated focus on his game. Though, he seemed to be dying in it more than usual. There was silence, stifling, depressed silence all the way to the school. Throughout the meeting, Kuroo didn't say a thing. He didn't trust his voice not to wobble. He spotted Akari taking Kenma's hand after the meeting, just holding it as they waited for the whole team to gather. Nekomata had promised to take them for food, like he always did after a match, regardless of its result.

"Are you okay?" Haru was standing next to him, looking up at him. But, Kuroo couldn't stop watching the way Akari held Kenma's hand in comfort. He shook his head, sighing. "Are you going to be okay?" The girl asked again, making him nod and then quickly walk away.

The meal at the barbeque restaurant was rather silent. At some point, Yamamoto and Lev started goofing off, but their hearts weren't in it. The depressed atmosphere seemed to have stifled them all. Kuroo focused on eating, even though he couldn't taste anything. He was glad that Haru had chosen to sit next to Yaku, instead of next to him. She was far enough so that he didn't have to actively avoid looking at her. He couldn't look at her. He had broken his promise, after all.

"We're staying." Kuroo said, making the whole table's attention turn to him.

"Are you sure, Kuroo?" Nekomata asked. "With the exams, it's going to be a lot of work." Kuroo was glad that Kai answered.

"We can do it." The vice-captain told the team.

"Of course, if you want us to leave, we will. But, we want to stay. We want to go to Nationals." Kuroo spoke up again.

"Then, Nationals during Spring Tournament." Yamamoto said in a low tone. "C'mon guys, stop being so down! We can do it!" Trust Yamamoto to always keep the spirits high. He really was the emotional backbone of the team. "With the Fukurodani Group Camp, we can get some good practice in and then get our revenge on Jindai November!"

"Yeah, and you'll have me!" Lev piped up confidently. They had ended up with Inuoka playing the most of the match that day.

"What, to help them score some points?" Yaku remarked, making the rest of the team laugh and Lev balk.

"No! I'm going to become the best ace this team has ever had!" The first year wouldn't be deterred.

"Then, you'd better fix your banzai block." Kuroo smirked at him smugly, causing even more laughter.

"Not to mention those receives," Yaku nodded sagely. "It looks like you're trying to catch a baby, not dig for a ball."

"It doesn't!"

"And that spike, it's too irregular." Kenma dealt the finishing blow in his usual monotone, making the whole table go into chaos. Kuroo laughed, for the first time after the match, from his heart. Maybe, they would recover from the crippling loss much faster than he thought they would.

* * *

"You're awfully quiet." Akari told Kenma as they walked to his house, holding hands. The setter nodded, but didn't reply. He unlocked the door and they both greeted his parents. Kenma let go of her hand, going upstairs alone.

"Did they lose?" His mother asked the girl in a low tone. Akari nodded solemnly.

"I'm going to try and cheer him up a bit, or at least get his mind off of it," the girl told them. "Can I take some food up to his room?"

"Of course, dear," Mrs. Kozume replied going to the kitchen and fixing two plates quickly. "Thank you for taking care of him. We don't really know what to do when he goes so quiet."

"It's alright, I can handle it." Akari offered a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes as she took the plates, following Kenma upstairs. She found his room empty, the boy already in the shower. Akari made herself at home in the meantime. She placed the plates on Kenma's desk and then dug out some of his things which he could wear when he was done. Then, she also picked out a shirt and shorts for herself, knowing that she would be staying over, by his state. She had changed and was texting her parents that she would sleep over at a friend's when Kenma walked into the room, still very quiet. He walked over to the dresser, then changed directions and took the clothes she'd picked out in silence. But, he didn't get dressed. He just stood there, in silence.

"C'mon," Akari stood up from the bed, taking the shirt from his hands. "You'll catch a cold." She helped him get into the shirt, then into his boxers and shorts, taking the towel that he'd had around his waist and putting it to dry. "Sit here." She instructed and he did so in silence. Akari towel-dried his hair and then also put that towel to dry. She took his comb and slowly worked her way through his long locks, finishing by pressing a kiss to his hair. "Are you thinking about the match?" Kenma nodded.

"I should've dumped more balls," he said slowly. "Gotten more points."

"You did the best thing you could at the time."

"That last set should've gone to Yamamoto, not Kai." The boy said in the same tone. Akari sat in front of him, hands going to his face to pull it up, catching his eye.

"You did the best thing you could at the time." She repeated with conviction. "Next time, you just have to do better, and that's all." Kenma nodded. His hands came up to hers, holding them. Together, their intertwined fingers slid to his neck.

"Akari," he murmured in such a sad tone that she wished she could just take all of that pain onto herself. "Distract me. My head is too busy," he told her with a morose look. "Make it all go away. Please, make it all go away."

"Okay." Akari leaned it, kissing him. He didn't respond at first, but then his hands let go of hers, going to pull the girl closer to him. Their lips danced to a familiar tune, somehow slower than usual, though. Nothing was rushed. Her fingers in his damp hair were a slow, steady mix of tugging and raking. It was like she was breathing his sadness in through the lip lock and Kenma felt himself feeling oddly at peace, his mind going completely blank. When they broke apart, taking a second to breathe against each other's mouths, he spoke again.

"I need you." He told her in that same low tone.

"I'm not going anywhere." Kenma nodded, pulling her in closer, hugging her slight body to his form. Akari's head landed on his shoulder. He wasn't sure how long they sat like that, but at some point, the girl ended their embrace, pulling him deeper onto the bed, making him lie down and then settling behind him, arms around his middle, covers over their intertwined bodies. Kenma caught her fingers into his, holding onto them like a lifeline.

"Thank you." He murmured as he finally managed to drift off, hoping that the way he was feeling would be gone in the morning.

* * *

Kuroo ended up seeing Haru home, despite wanting to be as far away from the girl as he could that evening. But, she didn't let him. She was the one who asked him to see her off. And, he couldn't refuse. He couldn't refuse her such a small favor. They walked alongside each other, but at arm's length. For once, Kuroo wasn't tempted to break that zone of comfort and walk closer. They arrived at the house in silence, Haru going to the door. Then, she seemed to gather her courage and quickly turned around just as he was getting ready to leave.

"Would you like to come in?" Haru asked, looking at Kuroo pleadingly. He stuffed his hands in his jersey pockets, looking to the side.

"I'm not sure if that's a good idea." He admitted, wanting for nothing else than to go back home and lie down in his bed, mind blank. He wasn't in the mood for company that evening.

"Come in anyways." Haru pressed and when he looked up at her, he saw the desperation on her face. She was worried about him, he realized.

"Okay." With a small nod, Kuroo followed her into her home, not able to resist smiling back when she grinned widely at his forfeit of the argument. The Sakurano house was empty when they came in. Haru started turning on the lights, dropping off her things on the shoe cabinet in the hall. She went to Kuroo, grabbing his hand when he placed his own next to hers, pulling him to the kitchen.

"Let's make some food," she pulled him behind the counter, clicking the lights on as she went. Kuroo pulled back on their connected hands, trying to get her to stop.

"We just ate, Haru." He complained.

"It has nothing to do with eating," she told him, letting go of his hand finally and taking out pots and pans that they would need. "It is all about the process." She turned to him, a smile on her face, and then went around him to the stereo, plugging in her phone. "It's all about the salsa." A song started playing with a relatively familiar tune. Kuroo had heard it before.

"I'm not really-" he tried to decline, but she seemed adamant, for once.

"You can either help me, or watch me, either works." Kuroo conceded, like he usually did with her, and accepted the apron she slipped over his head. He watched her tie back her own hair and then get an apron for herself. "This is Chiki Chiki Ta, it's one of the best songs." Haru told him, getting ingredients from the fridge and started setting them out. "We're gonna make Spanish kenken and rice."

"Haru, I-" the girl turned to him and he dropped his argument instantly. "Alright, your rules. Let's do it your way." She smiled brightly at him and started explaining the recipe, leading him into what he should do to get the whole dish ready.

Kuroo didn't think he would, but he felt his mind drifting away from the devastating loss, focusing on the food in front of him. The music in the background was a tad too upbeat for him to be able to feel down, and soon, he found himself nodding along, chopping ingredients and helping Haru with all the work. She had started singing somewhere down the line, swaying her hips and dancing circles around him as they worked. Kuroo was surprised how a simple act of cooking could manage to cheer him up that much. Soon, he was smiling, even laughing, at the girl who goofed off to the best of her ability.

The playlist circled around as they were finishing up, coming to the same song they had started with. He didn't expect Haru to catch his hand, pulling him away from the stove he had been checking on and to her already swaying body.

"Dance with me!" She didn't ask, but demanded, not even inquiring if he could. Before he could object, she was already swaying, pushing his legs with hers to make him move to the beat. Kuroo laughed, arm going around her waist to stop her.

"Haru, I'm a master of many skills, but dance isn't one of them." The third-year grinned. "I hate to deny my perfection, but it's a fact." The girl didn't let that deter her, but instead slowed down her steps.

"Your arms go here," she positioned them both to hold hers, as if he would kiss the back of her hand. "Or, in the traditional way, here," she moved one to her shoulder blade, her arm over his, and kept the other the way it was. "The steps are really easy, you go forward, starting with the right foot." And Kuroo was left powerless to her insistence, following the instructions she kept giving. "This arm sways to the beat," she told him again, then stopped completely, looking up at him. "Ready to give it a go?"

"As ready as I can be, I suppose." And Kuroo stepped forward, just like she had told him to, letting her set the pace of the movement.

* * *

They ended up cooking a large dinner, leaving it to cool down before storing it in her fridge and packing some up for his own family. Kuroo found himself delighting in the way Haru would drop the spatula from time to time, pulling him in to dance with her in the small space that the counter and the stove provided. It was a tad awkward in the beginning, but he got the hang of it as they went. She would laugh and praise him, tease him about his steps sometimes. Kuroo, on the other hand, joked how she was doing all of that just to be able to be close to his body, which she responded to with her own flirtation. All in all, the evening turned out to be quite cheery.

Finally, legs tired and cheeks hurting from all the laughter, the duo went to the living room, to sit down for a while and take a break. Kuroo lazily flipped through channels, Haru's body next to his on the cushions, legs draped shamelessly over his own. Kuroo finally chose a channel, letting a documentary about animals play in the background. He glanced at the girl next to him. Really, it had surprised him just how much she had managed to change his mood in such a short time. Typically, he dealt with those kinds of slumps on his own, in his room, brooding. But, this was a nice change of pace. He liked it.

"Tired?" He asked her and she nodded, smiling still.

"Exhausted, but the good kind." Haru admitted with a happy grin directed at him. God, her smile was contagious.

"Maybe you just lack stamina?" Kuroo smirked at her, making her swat his arm playfully.

"My stamina is just fine, I'll have you know." She retorted and he couldn't help himself.

"Maybe you should show me?" He teased, making her quirk an eyebrow at him.

"I don't think you could keep up, otherwise I would," Kuroo never knew she had it in her to flirt like that, if he was being honest. She kept surprising him. "Then again, I suppose I could find someone who's got more energy. Maybe Bokuto?" That made him groan at the image in his head, head falling back on the couch. Haru could help but laugh at her victory in their banter, yet again.

They bickered for a bit longer, absent-mindedly watching the documentary about cheetahs on the TV, Kuroo commenting about it every once in a while. Soon enough, though, a silence stretched. Haru noticed the third-year's head drifting away from the TV program and retreating into the memories of the previous match. She took the initiative and reached over, grabbing his hand and intertwining their fingers together. That made him look at her.

"You'll win next time," she told him with conviction.

"What makes you say so?" Kuroo asked, an unreadable expression on his usually smug face. Haru didn't miss a beat.

"I believe in you guys," she said. "You're good and you know your stuff. You're always learning from your losses. I'm sure you'll do even better next time." Kuroo sighed, head falling back onto the couch as he stared at the ceiling.

"Honestly, I'm not even that mad about the game," his voice sounded strange from that position, somehow deeper and strained. "We did everything right. Simply, we were the weaker team this time round."

"Then, what's bothering you?" Kuroo's head came up, the look in his eyes making her hold her breath. He looked so serious.

"I made a promise with myself," he told her. "I promised that if we won…" he trailed off.

"If you won?" Haru prompted, curiosity killing her.

"I would ask you out." She stopped breathing. The look in his eyes, the expression on his face, the way his hand felt around hers, the heat of his legs under her own, Haru suddenly became aware of all of it. She gaped. "Don't look so surprised," Kuroo laughed. "I mean, I've been quite forward, haven't I?" He shrugged. "We've even got Fukurodani yelling at us to just hurry it up and get married already."

"But-er, I-um-" Haru couldn't quite get her mouth to connect to her brain.

"Would you say no?" Kuroo asked.

"No!" Haru shook her head. "No, I mean yes!"

"Which is it?" He was shaking with laughter at that point.

"Don't laugh at me after you spring something like that on me!" She scolded half-heartedly, smacking his chest gently, which got him only to laugh harder. "I would say yes." Kuroo finally managed to collect himself, nodding.

"Alright," he told her. "Then, I'll ask you sometime, when we win." Haru frowned.

"Why does it have to be after a win?"

"Because it would be lame otherwise." Kuroo shrugged. "I mean, it should be big, right? After a win is a perfect time." Haru couldn't help giggling at that.

"You're such a sappy dork." She moved closer to him, snuggling into his side. Kuroo threw an arm over her shoulders, pulling her to his warm form.

"So, I've been told."

"No balls either."

"Hey, don't discuss my balls until you've seen them."

"How can I see them if you have none?"

"I have plenty I'll have you know!"

"I'm home!" Haru sat up on the couch, startled at the deep voice resounding through the house. She looked at Kuroo with glee on her face, despite his questioning look.

"Papa!" She yelled out and jumped up, leaving the third-year to panic on his own on the couch.

* * *

Kuroo walked into the hall when his legs finally started cooperating and he almost wished they hadn't. At the door stood an absolute bear of a man. He was dark-skinned, but not black. His hair was short, falling in curls around his face. Everything about him was big. The height, the shoulders, even the neck and his face which seemed somehow harsh. Yet, there were two eyes shining with glee from that face. Haru had thrown herself onto the man, hanging around his neck like some kind of a monkey at the jungle gym. He hugged her with his huge arms, like two tree trunks, squeezing, swaying the girl left and right. The usually tall and curvy Haru looked like a tiny plush toy in his arms.

"Papa, this is Kuroo, my sempai from the club!" the girl introduced with glee when she was back on the ground, not seeing how Kuroo attempted to shake his head and then retreat into the house. But, there was no escape. The bear stood in between him and the door.

"It's nice to meet you, sir." Kuroo bowed politely, forcing his panic down and kicking into the manners his mother had scolded into him. When his head rose, he saw the bear glaring at him, then shrugging.

"I Japanese, no understand." The bear rumbled like some kind of a mountain moving. But, Haru laughed and smacked the man's chest lightly, an action so familiar to Kuroo. The bear did nothing but tilt his head at it and gaze at her lovingly.

"Papa, you can't be starting with _that_ old thing again." The girl laughed.

"But I don't want to talk to the boys you know, little spitfire." The bear _pouted._ What a child, Kuroo sighed on the inside. Suddenly, he realized why Haru was so good at dealing with him. She already had a pouty and childish man at home whom she handled all too well.

"Tough luck, cause I'm gonna marry him!"

"What?!" Both men balked, Haru's father going into a whining and disbelieving speech about not giving up his daughter in clear Japanese, while Kuroo attempted to tell him that he had no intentions of marriage yet.

"What do you mean you don't plan to marry her?" The bear noticed him finally, straightening and walking forward to tower over Kuroo. "Is she not the best wife material a man could find in this country of tiny people?" Kuroo knew that there was no way out of that one. But, his mouth and brain didn't seem to have a thread connecting them due to panic, which seemed to be flashing in red huge letters in front of everything.

"No, no, she is perfect, I would marry her in a heartbeat!" Kuroo said, making Haru try to hold in her laughter desperately.

"No." The bear said, glaring down at him. "I'm not giving my daughter to you." Haru finally lost it, laughing from her belly, unable to stop the guffaws.

"Oh, God," she gasped, "Stop, papa, stop scaring him. Oh, God." And she was laughing again, unable to compose herself. The bear's paw, no hand, it was definitely a huge hand, dropped onto Kuroo's shoulder and the third-year found himself looking into sympathetic eyes.

"She's a cruel woman, that one. I'm sorry for you, boy." The bear rumbled. Kuroo felt himself release that sigh of relief, muscles relaxing.

"They say you can't help who you love," he shrugged. The bear nodded.

"Indeed, indeed," he grabbed Kuroo in a side hug, dragging him towards the kitchen. "Let's get us a glass of rum and share our stories of pain together." The third-year didn't have enough strength to resist the man who was pulling him like a strong river current to the liquor cupboard, pulling out two glasses and a bottle of rum.

"Papa, the official drinking age here is twenty." Haru seemed to have composed herself a tad, entering the kitchen. The bear nodded.

"True, true," he placed Kuroo into a kitchen chair and sat down opposite of him, opening the rum. "Get him some milk then, spitfire." Kuroo looked to Haru for help, but she simply smiled at him encouragingly, which didn't give him any courage at all, and went to fetch the milk. "And a bowl of cubanelle that we keep for _special_ occasions."

"Papa, no," Haru put her foot down, turning around with the milk in her hands. Though, Kuroo figured that he would better get this over with now that it was there, hitting him in the face.

"No, it's alright, Haru." He told her, making her frown.

* * *

 **I've been wanting to write Kuroo and Dari together for ages! Let me know what you thought about it :D**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **Mixie18:  
Welcome to reviews!  
I'm glad that you think it's getting good ;) I'll do my best to keep you guys on your toes :D  
Cheers! **

**Rosto'sGirl:  
Tease? What tease? But, they lose? I mean, it's legit. They lose and he can't ask her out MWAHAHAHHAHA Does that even count as a tease? xD  
Awwwww take care of yourself! I hope that your stomach bug passes quickly :D I'll try to keep up the writing and give you something to look forward to :D  
KenAri is THE ship. Like, omg, I didn't know it would be this perfect, to be honest xD They're super cute!  
I'm having the time of my life writing Kuroo in misery with blue balls xD It's giving me life xD Glad you enjoyed it too :D  
Best!**

* * *

 **Omake:**

Yaku caught Haru's elbow as they were leaving the restaurant, stopping her. She turned to him with a questioning look.

"Hey, Kuroo's unusually silent, even for a lost match," the libero told her gently. "Can you keep an eye on him tonight?" Haru mulled it over for a second and then nodded.

"I'll do my best." The libero gave her a bright smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.

"No matter how much he protests, just keep him doing something, please." And Yaku bounded off. Haru started thinking of what she could do to help the captain, realizing that she maybe didn't know him as well as she thought she did. Back then, though, she didn't think that the evening of 'cheer Kuroo up' operation would end up as it had in the end. With her father crashing it.

* * *

 **That's all folks!**


	24. Family

**I want to briefly extend this chapter title for you guys: Family is who you choose, not who you're born to. I hope this chapter clears up a bit about why and how Haru is for everyone :D Enjoy, have fun and be well my family!**

* * *

 **Chapter 24: Family**

Haru couldn't believe that this was happening. Her father was sitting at the kitchen table, opposite of Kuroo, a bowl of cubanelle in between them. The peppers were red and green, shimmering ominously after being washed. Haru sighed, stepping behind Kuroo's chair and leaning down.

"The green ones are milder," she whispered to him gently, which only made the third-year grin nervously up at her.

"Alright boy, let's see what you're made of." Dari took one of the red peppers, biting off the end. Kuroo also reached forward, going for the green one, but then changing his mind. He bit into a red pepper, as well. Haru could instantly see the change in him. While her father didn't even react, chewing happily, Kuroo's face changed color immediately, taking on an interesting scarlet hue.

"God, that's hot," he hissed through the spiciness in his mouth, hand going up to wipe his forehead. Haru placed a hand on his shoulder and again, leaned down.

"If you're not going to take my advice, at least don't touch the seeds, they're the worst." At that, he nodded. Dari kept eating his pepper, Kuroo struggling to keep the pace. Haru walked over and sat down next to the captain, making her father frown. It was when they were on their third pepper each that the girl finally decided to put a stop to their lunacy. She stood, taking the bowl away.

"You're both going to make yourselves sick, that's enough." Kuroo seemed to sigh in relief, but Dari instantly started whining.

"But, I wanted some more!" He reached for the bowl, but the girl didn't let him grab another piece of spiciness from it.

"I said no." Haru was adamant. Her father pouted, but he took his shot of rum, downing it with a happy sigh. He seemed satisfied. On the other hand, Kuroo was quickly drinking his milk, tongue out after the glass was down, attempting to cool it off.

"I think I'll take that offer of rum now," the third-year told Dari seriously, making the huge man laugh merrily.

"I like him, he has spunk!" Haru's father remarked, his hand hitting the table as he laughed. "What was your name again, boy?"

"Kuroo Tetsurō." The third-year replied with a smirk.

"You may marry my daughter, Tetsurō." Dari nodded, making Haru shout from the kitchen, telling him that the whole marriage thing had been a joke.

"I fully intend to," Kuroo replied with conviction, which made Dari laugh even more. Haru threw her hands up, letting them be lunatics on their own as she went upstairs to get a change of clothes, finally. She came back downstairs to find the two had moved to the living room, playing video games and chatting casually. For a moment, she stood in the doorway, then leaned on it. Kuroo looked rather comfortable next to her father at that point. He was undoubtedly enjoying himself.

"I'm home!" the girl was in for another surprise at the voice coming from the entrance. She turned, entering the hall to see her mother placing down her travel bag and then slipping off her shoes. Sakurano Niko looked tired, but happy. "Chiharu, I was hoping that you would be awake," the woman smiled and hugged her daughter.

"I have a friend from club over, and papa's home." Haru told her mother during the embrace.

"Oh, lord, not the cubaneres!" Niko immediately said, going for the kitchen, then, she heard the sounds coming from the living room and changed directions. The two women entered to find the men on the couch, arguing over a strategy in-game. "Looks like he survived." Niko shrugged with a sigh.

"He did quite well," Haru smiled at her mother. Then, she whispered to her, blushing. "I'm going to date that boy."

"Oh, you like him?" Niko gushed, taking her daughter's hand and leading her to the kitchen. There, she got some juice and the two leaned on the counter, chatting.

"More than like, I think," Haru blushed. Her mother had always been a semi-present person in her life. Due to all the traveling, she was rarely free to be home and gossip with her daughter. Though, that definitely didn't deter the two from gushing about boys when the opportunity presented itself.

"Finally, a chance at grandchildren!" Niko laughed at the mortified look on her daughter's face. "I'm glad that you're showing interests. First, I hear about the volleyball club from Dari, and now the boy, I quite like this new Chiharu."

"I also got published in a magazine." Haru piped up happily. "We're working with a lot of high-profile people these days at the studio." Niko waved a hand.

"That won't help you, Chiharu, you need to focus on the important things," her mother told her. "Volleyball is a good sport and it falls into Caballero areas of expertise. Also, grandchildren!" Haru frowned, but she was luckily saved by the two men walking into the kitchen.

"I thought I heard the dulcet tones of my beautiful wife!" Dari walked over, kissing Niko deeply, which made the two teens exchange looks of mild discomfort. Kuroo's seemed to say 'should we do it, too' while Haru's was more along the lines of 'I'm sorry about them'. "This is the boy who's gonna marry our spitfire, Tetsurō." Dari's large hand clapped Kuroo on the shoulder and he laughed at Niko's expression of disbelief.

"M-marriage?"

"No, no," Kuroo tried to backtrack, "I mean, of course, maybe someday, but not right now," he glanced nervously at Dari, who ended up just laughing through the whole thing, patting his shoulder again. "I'd like to date her first." Kuroo ended his bumbling with a mumble. That made Niko laugh merrily.

"Oh, Dari, you've scared the poor boy mute!" She gently slapped her husband's chest, making him laugh even harder. Kuroo took that chance to escape the man's hold, though the action that the woman had done didn't escape his eyes. Haru would do the same to him often. He somehow reveled in that fact.

"Kuroo-kun, would you like some dinner?" Niko asked politely from her husband's hold. Kuroo couldn't help but compare the two. Niko was tiny, pale, slim and black-haired. The ideal Japanese beauty. She looked even shorter in person than on TV, which made him briefly panic due to the fact that he was addressing a famous TV personality so casually. Dari, on the other hand, looked like a bear. An absolute bear. He positively dwarfed his wife, yet held her with such delicate gentleness which made Kuroo almost jealous, more like envious, as he wanted to do the same thing. He briefly glanced at Haru, seeing her smiling at her parents in utter happiness.

"I really couldn't impose on you," Kuroo tried to excuse himself, but Niko wasn't having it.

"Nonsense!" the woman waved him off. "Haru, did you cook today?"

"Kuroo and I did." Haru brightly smiled.

"Then, it's settled!" Kuroo looked pleadingly at the second-year girl, but she just shrugged. He couldn't help but welcome the dinner invitation, though, as he was getting quite a bit hungry. The whole emotional and physical toll of the games had piled up, making his body process the food from before quicker. He nodded, making Niko joyously set the table for four.

* * *

"So, Chiharu, will you be taking pictures of your sister for the magazine?" Niko asked conversationally as they were finishing up dinner. Kuroo glanced at Haru, noticing the frown on her face. The friendly atmosphere that had been there during dinner, as they chatted about Kuroo's college plans, Haru's parents' work and her own club and work activities, vanished.

"She never mentioned that." Haru replied in a tone that had Kuroo gulping. He was about to be a witness to a domestic and he knew it. Dari looked at him with an apologetic smile.

"Oh, she didn't?" Niko asked, looking pensive, like she was immune to the change in the room. "Well, she told me she was going to ask you. You're going to do it, right?"

"No." Haru icily replied. Dari sighed, getting up from the table and started to put the food away.

"No?" Niko asked in a similar tone, making Kuroo hurriedly hop up, helping the soccer coach.

"She can ask me herself if she wants," Haru wasn't letting up. "It will be the first non-yelling she'd be doing in a while, isn't that funny?" the girl laughed, but the sound was off, making both men cringe. Kuroo went for another set of plates, but Dari's hand caught his arm, pulling him back. The bear of a man shook his head.

"You will be nice to your sister, Chiharu." Niko's tone reminded Kuroo of Antarctica. "She has sacrificed a lot to be able to wait for you to come home to someone in the house."

"She can stop sacrificing then," Haru retorted. "And she can take her boyfriends with her, too."

"Chiharu!" Oh, yeah, it was blowing up. Kuroo leaned next to Dari on the counter, waiting, hoping, that it would pass quickly.

"Mom!"

"Your sister needs your help! She might be semi-popular, but your images are a viral sensation! All eyes will be on her if you do her this small favor!" Niko had gotten up, staring down at her daughter. "You would be helping her career take off successfully outside of Japan!"

"She can take her career and shove it up her-" Haru got up, slamming her hands on the table.

"Chihiro!" Niko yelled, and instantly, Kuroo saw the broken look on Haru's face. Her mother looked like she realized what she'd done, but the damage had already been dealt. Haru laughed without any humor in it, head going down and then back up to look at her mother. Kuroo suddenly realized why the girl asked everyone not to call her Sakurano or Chiharu. Just Haru, please, she always said. _Just Haru_.

"Yeah, mom, you could've given me my own name, too," Haru looked at her mother with such a look that it made Kuroo cringe. "Maybe then I wouldn't be the stepping stone to Chihiro's career."

"What? Chiharu, that's not-" Niko spoke, but her daughter interrupted her, raising a hand up in defeat.

"It's alright," Haru shrugged. "That's how it's always been. No worries. But, don't build _her_ on _me_. I won't let my photography become another thing she uses to become popular." The glare she gave sent a chill down Kuroo's spine. "I will _never, ever_ take a photo of Chihiro for a magazine. That will happen _over my dead body_." With those parting words, Haru walked out of the room. Kuroo heard her pick up her things from the shoe cabinet and walk upstairs.

"Well, that was eventful." Dari sighed. Niko seemed in shock, plopping back down on her chair. Her head fell into her hands and she seemed ready to cry. "I told you it was a bad idea, naming them so similarly. We should've gone with a Cuban name." The man nodded sagely. Kuroo felt completely out of place, quite a bit awkward.

"But," Niko's head shot up, showing that she was, indeed, misty-eyed. "I thought it would be cute! Chihiro and Chiharu, sisters only a few years apart! I never thought that she would feel so overshadowed by her sister." Niko shook her head. "Besides, she would get teased about a Cuban name all the time."

"She gets teased anyway," Kuroo spoke before he could stop himself. When he noticed that he had the attention of both of Haru's parents, he elaborated. "With the last name and the similar first names, it's not really even an intuitive leap to connect the two. Haru gets compared to her sister all too often and I think she has a bit of a complex about not looking beautiful or being successful, like Chihiro-san, and not living up to your expectations."

"But, she's doing great!" Niko seemed surprised at his words. "And she's really pretty!"

"She doesn't know that you think that." Kuroo elaborated with a shrug. "Forgive me for being rude, but maybe you should let her be her individual self, different from her sister. She's trying to hard every day, after all. Most kids her age don't have to juggle a club, where she's doing the best managerial work we've seen in a while, work, where she's very successful, and maintaining great grades to top that off." There was silence for a minute and then Dari's hand landed on his shoulder.

"Yep, marry her anytime, Tetsurō." The bear of a man laughed.

* * *

Kuroo couldn't help thinking about that night even after a few days had passed. He could see that Haru was laughing and smiling as always, pretending that the row hadn't put her back into her tub to soak her thoughts away. He knew it had, though, but he couldn't quite go to her room and pull her out of it due to her parents' being home. Instead, he had politely excused himself and gone home.

Kenma had gotten sick, as expected. He had missed a few days due to high fever and stomach pains after the match. Though, they had all expected it. Kenma typically got a fever after a harsh practice or a match that made him run around a lot. Kuroo had wandered into the second year classroom, to make arrangements with Akari as to who would take notes to him. In the end, the girl had been all to eager to do that.

Kuroo noticed that Haru was spending a bit more time on her own during practice, but he decided that letting her mull over things would be easier than trying to bother her. She would come to him, if she needed him, he figured.

"Is she okay?" Kai asked Yaku and Kuroo as the three huddled together, stretching. Kuroo shrugged.

"Doesn't look like she is," Yaku commented. "Did you do something?"

"Why me?" The captain complained. "I'm not that bad!"

"You're always bugging her, though." Kai nodded to the libero. They both looked at Kuroo who sighed.

"Nah, she had a row with her mom," the third-year explained. "It wasn't a nice one either."

"You were there?" Yaku asked in shock. When Kuroo hummed, the shock doubled. "Moving fast, aren't you?"

"Well, everyone _has_ been telling me to marry her."

"Whaaat?!" Yamamoto had obviously heard that. "Haru! You can't marry Kuroo!" The ace rushed at their manager, making her almost drop the bottles she was carrying. "You just can't!" Kuroo looked at her and their eyes met briefly.

"I'm sorry, Tora, but I'll marry him I think," the ace balked at her casual tone. "I mean, you all have been telling me to, right?"

"Not me! Never me! Marry me!" There was absolute chaos after that statement, which had Kuroo guffawing.

* * *

Exams. Haru dreaded them. It wasn't that she was bad at testing. It was just that they made her stress. She knew that she would do good, she always did, but she stressed either way. There was always a feeling in the back of her head that she should be doing something more. Studying more. Revising more. It made her panic and mess up whatever she was doing.

Satoshi had known instantly when the testing season had come close. The first time Haru had tripped over her own feet while taking a photo he had brushed it off. The second time, when she'd spilled coffee over her keyboard at work, he'd told her to slow down. The third time, when she'd face planted into the closed studio door, he'd told her to take time off. She had argued, of course, as she always did, but Satoshi had been adamant about her taking some time to do her exams properly. And, he'd promised that she could still take the time she had asked for during the Fukurodani Camp, and that he wouldn't call her for overtime then.

So, due to lack of work, Haru was mostly left stressing on her own. Sometimes, Akari, Ikki, and the newly welcomed into the study group, Kenma, would invite her to learn with them. Though, Haru had proven to be quite the distraction for them. Study Nazi, they had called her jokingly for the dedication and intensity with which she went through the material. In the end, she was left to revising on her own, either at the library at school, or at home.

Kuroo wasn't around to bother her, which made her grateful to whatever deity was watching over her. She didn't think that she could handle not blowing up at him during exam season. But, she discovered why he had been so busy soon enough.

"Whose place?" Kai asked as the third-years packed up to leave the gym after practice.

"We can do mine today," Kuroo replied, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "Mom's working late."

"Okay." Yaku nodded.

"Hey, study Nazi, wanna come with?" Kuroo jokingly tossed at her, noticing that she was listening in.

"Not for all the money in the world." Haru retorted, making Kai remark how there was trouble in paradise. But, the fact that Kuroo was busy with his own learning comforted Haru in a way. It wasn't that she'd lost his interest, it was simply that he was doing his best. She had to admire that quality about the third-year. While training and deciding which college to go to, he also did everything he could to make certain that he would enter the school he chose.

Smart is the new sexy, they said. And Haru wholeheartedly agreed.

* * *

"How did you do in English?" Akari asked, plopping down next to Haru in despair. English was, by far, Akari's worst subject. And, funnily enough, anything language related was rather good for Haru.

"I think I did alright." The girl shrugged.

"So she says, and then scores max." Ikki plopped down also, taking out his lunch. "I wish there was an oral exam for this stuff."

"Then I would fail in a heartbeat." Akari groaned, retreating into her negative bubble.

"It's Japanese History next," Haru sighed.

"Your worst subject and my best!" Akari brightened up instantly. "Maybe if I divide my grade there and put some percentage of that onto English, I can pass and not have to spend my summer in a classroom again."

"On a brighter note," Ikki broke their depressive fest, "Let's go to a fireworks festival this year." Akari laughed at that.

" _We_ , _"_ she motioned at herself and Haru. "Went last year, but _someone_ got sick."

"Well, I couldn't exactly help it," Ikki shrugged. "But, I'd like to go with you guys this time round. It would be great to hang out for a while without having to worry about school."

"True," Akari nodded. "If you don't mind me taking Kenma?" She propped her head up and sighed. "We haven't talked about it yet, but I think I want to go with him this year. It would be so romantic, to kiss under fireworks!"

"If you care about that kind of stuff, sure it would be," Ikki laughed. "I don't peg Kenma as someone who'd enjoy a festival, though." Akari glared at him instantly.

"Don't sink my boats before they've even tried sailing, please." She sighed. "I know it's not his thing, but I'm hoping that he'll do it for me." The girl turned to Haru. "Will you go, too?"

"I don't know…"

"Whaaat?" Ikki balked. "You have to go! I want to go at least once with all of us together!"

"Well, there's always next year," Akari giggled as she helpfully supplied. That made Ikki turn to shameless whining.

"If my parents aren't home, I'll go with you," Haru promised, putting a stop to their antics. "But, if they are, they might want to go as a family, you know? We haven't done that in ages, and I want to spend some time with my brother."

"Oh, I see," Ikki nodded. "Well, I suppose I'll be doomed to going to a fireworks festival with the kissy couple, then."

"We don't kiss in public!" Akari went bright red, complaining.

"You kiss with your eyes." Ikki retorted.

"What? That doesn't even make sense."

"Yeah, it does," the basketball player explained. "The way you look at each other is kissing enough."

"Oh, shut up!"

* * *

"Are they coming?" Yamamoto asked as the boys all stretched before their laps around the grounds. With the summer heat growing considerably, the number of laps hadn't lessened, making them all dread the run.

"Karasuno?" Yaku asked, looking at Kenma instantly.

"They are," Haru interrupted, making heads turn to her. "I've been texting with Shimizu, and she says that they will come to the camp. But, they just need exam results first. Those who don't pass won't be able to come." The group laughed immediately.

"Who do you think is in trouble over there?" Yaku asked. He had passed all of his exams with top grades.

"My bet is Ryu," Yamamoto nodded. Luckily for them, the second-year had been forced by Fukunaga to join Akari's study group a few times, which had scored him over fifty percent on most tests.

"And that little number ten!" Kai supplied with a laugh. "Hinata looks like a total airhead. I bet he failed some exams." The other boys nodded.

"Now that you say bet," Yamamoto grinned, waggling his eyebrows. "Let's do a little pool, eh?" Haru's eyebrow rose as the boys huddled, exchanging ideas on the punishments and gains of the pool.

"Just make it a punishment pool," she told them with a shrug, sitting in between Yaku and Kuroo to join them. "I'll make the punishments, so nobody will want to lose." The girl smirked. "I'll also prepare some nice rewards for the winners."

"Osu!" The boys huddled even closer, if that was possible, and began placing their bets on who is the most likely in Karasuno to pass all exams with flying colors and who would fail and not be allowed at the camp.

In the end, Tanaka and Hinata had the most votes to fail their exams. There were a few on Nishinoya, as well. Kageyama was voted one of the most likely to pass them all, along with Sugawara and Sawamura. Yaku had adamantly voted that the first-year setter would fail his exams, making the whole team laugh at him. Azumane had also been pegged as someone who would fail. In the end, Naoi had broken their betting circle, yelling at the boys to stop goofing off and start running. He had even chewed Haru out as the team was leaving, making it quite a comical picture. What the boys didn't see, though, was the girl placing her own bets. She thought that Hinata would fail and that Sugawara would score near the top of the list. With a smile, Haru pocketed the paper, making sure to remind herself to bring it to the camp.

* * *

The seventh of July arrived in a blink of an eye. The Nekoma boys arrived, one by one, in front of the school in the early hours of the morning. They were all yawning and stretching, attempting to stay awake. Kenma, as always, looked ready to drop. Kai and Yaku had managed to squish him in between each other, making him stay somewhat upwards as they sat on the stairs in front of the gym.

"Morning!" Haru greeted, being one of the last to arrive. She had her duffel bag, matching her jersey, swung over her shoulder. There was another bag in her hands, though, which made all the boys focus on it, guessing that it contained food.

"Hi, Haru," Yaku greeted with a wave, the rest of them chorusing weak hellos. "We're still waiting for Yamamoto, Lev and Inuoka."

"Where are the coaches?" the girl looked around, not seeing the two trip leaders. "And Kuroo?"

"They went inside to drop some papers off," Yaku told her. "Should be back soon." Haru nodded and then chose to sit down next to the silent Fukunaga, who seemed to be sleeping in that position. He didn't even react when she plopped down on the small wall separating the grass from the walkway.

"He's not bugging you too much?" Haru looked at Kai, surprised at his question.

"Who?"

"Kuroo."

"Oh, no, he's alright," Haru laughed, still a bit surprised that the vice-captain had asked her such a question. Despite them working together during training and matches, Kai was the one who she didn't feel as close to as the rest of the team. She could recall that he'd been rather reluctant to welcome her as the manager and had questioned her resolve. Despite working out their differences, Haru still felt like he thought that she wasn't good enough for the team. "He's rather like a petulant child."

"Needy and borderline annoying," Kai nodded.

"Always looking for treats," Haru agreed.

"Pouting when he doesn't get his way," Yaku pointed out.

"With a weird sense of logic," Kenma tossed in, proving that he _was_ , in fact, still awake.

"C'mon first years, you guys also give some ideas." Yaku prompted.

"Scheming?" Shibayama almost asked.

"That actually might be more of a compliment for him," Haru laughed. Kai and Yaku chukled, nodding, while Kenma just yawned. His head finally dropped to the side, hitting the wing-spiker's shoulder and he seemed to black out.

"Then, how about arrogant?" Teshiro piped up from his seat reluctantly.

"Yes, yes, definitely!" Yaku agreed. "Dog loving weirdo."

"Handsy," Haru added.

"Snorer." Kai supplied.

"I also happen to be devastatingly handsome and a quick study at salsa," The man himself appeared, making the people who had been tossing out numerous insults turn around. While the third-years and Haru just grinned and shook their heads, while the first-years looked ready to run.

"You _think_ you're a quick study at salsa." Haru corrected.

"I never said I was good, just quick." Kuroo winked at her, making her sigh and shake her head. "I vote we list Yakkun's bad characteristics next." The captain sat down next to Haru and smirked at the libero.

"The list would be too long," Kai commented, making Yaku reach over to smack him, waking Kenma up in the process and making the setter glare at them both.

"I'm trying to sleep here," he complained in a mildly irritated tone. "Stop moving, pillow." And he was back on Kai's shoulder, making them all laugh.

* * *

 **It's hereeeee! It's here! It's here! It's hereeeeee! FUKURODANI GROUP CAMP! Gosh, when I started writing about Haru and Kuroo, all I had in my head were the scenes for this camp :D I'm so happy and kind of anxious that we're finally here :)**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **Valen Goncalvez:  
He really is T_T he makes me so happy xD Hope you enjoyed the update!**

 **Mixie18:  
Definitely at the right time xD Like, I took a yearlong sabbatical from this story a while back xD Now I'm super pumped… Like chapters 6 to now are in the past month xD  
Dari omg xD I'm so glad that everyone has had such positive reactions to him xD I love that man seriously xD  
Hope you enjoyed the chapter!**

 **KirikaAndo:  
Thanks so much for the reviews :D  
C'mon, take it easy on poor Bokuto, he's doing his best to study for exams xD If you take a look at the manga, he keeps asking Akaashi if he's using big words correctly in casual speech to practice. I found that soooooo cute and I couldn't help myself xD  
Kuroo is smitted 100% xD  
Flamin hot cubanelle is right you know xD Those things are a lethal weapon hahahaha  
Glad you enjoyed yourself! Hope this chapter was fun :D**

 **Bookdragonslayer:  
thanks for the comment!  
Dari is hilarious xD I love writing him xD  
Kuroo is in a huge mess right now :P  
Hope you enjoyed :D**

 **Rosto'sGirl:  
Thanks for commenting T_T I'm so happy!  
I am evil and cruel :P But, all bad things come to a good ending, right? I mean… well, semi-good ending? C'mon, he caught a break in this one rather nicely xD Him and Haru are getting on a speedboat from now on :D I really enjoy making them kind of the reverse of what a relationship should be, it's my fault xD Like, they go from handholding, seeing each other naked, to like sleeping over and then to marriage proposals before dating? I'm having fun xD And then, like you have KenAri who are just a steamboat xD So many contrasts and I'm on a literature high xD  
I'm glad that you're doing better :D Good luck with finals… I hate exams… Exams are the pain. I have an exam tomorrow, then next week Saturday again, the January exam period -.- My class have all diagnosed each other and themselves with crippling depression. We legit greet each other in the hallways with 'hello confusion.' Or 'hello crippling depression' it's hilarious xD I can't decide if I'm like Noya, Tanaka, Hinata or Kageyama before exams xD Though, I end up doing rather well all the time xD It's hilarious xD  
urgh, I've ranted enough, feel well, enjoy school, the chapter and do good on exams!**

 **chibi-no-baka:  
Thanks so much for the review! I'm glad that you're enjoying the read :D  
Gosh, I can't wait till they hook up either! I've been dragging it out, I have to be honest xD  
Dari is like urghhhhh love! I love writing him and I love everything about him xD Best OC made so far, except maybe Akari xD  
Cheers!**

* * *

 **Omake:**

Akari walked into her room, carrying a tray where glasses full of juice and bowls of snacks were packed to the brim. Ikki instantly hopped to his feet, helping her. Yamamoto seemed to revive from his dead state, rising like a zombie back into the cross-legged position.

"Boys, snacks are here!" Akari smiled, letting Ikki help her with placing them on the table in between the small study group, proving that he had already been accepted into the house as the fourth brother, practically.

"Akari-chan!" Yamamoto was crying, making Akari give him a smile and pat his hand gently.

"You're so cute Tora-san!" Her statement practically made him turn into a puddle on the floor. Fukunaga quietly thanked the girl for her hospitality, taking a cracker and then continuing his work. Akari glanced at Kenma, noticing that he hadn't gone for the apple pie immediately.

"Guys, did you nudge him from time to time?" They shook their heads. "Kenma!" The boy's head shot up, then his hand went up, wiping the bit of drool which had leaked from his mouth. "No sleeping! Study!" The boy awarded her his most amazing utterly annoyed look.

* * *

 **Hope you all enjoyed!**


	25. Fukurodani Group Camp begins!

**I promised that the Fukurodani Camp would be interesting, and deliver I shall!**

* * *

 **Chapter 25: Fukurodani Group Camp begins!**

The van finally stopped. Haru turned around in her seat, looking to the back of the van. The majority of the boys were either asleep, or just waking up. Yaku, who was sitting next to her, didn't seem to plan on getting up. He was too busy snoozing on her shoulder with a rather serene look on his face.

"Morisuke, we've arrived," Haru gently shook him, trying to get him back to reality. But, all he did was murmur something about getting the drills done later. "Morisuke, wake up." Haru giggled at his stubbornness, especially considering that he had been the most talkative member of the team that morning.

"That's not how you do it," Kuroo smirked, passing them on his way out. "Here, let me show you," before Haru could object, Kuroo leaned down and then whispered into the libero's ear. "Yakkun, watch out! It's a jump floater!" Instantly, the libero hopped up, his arms rising in a perfect overhanded position. Unfortunately, the ceiling of the van wasn't tall enough to accommodate, making him hit his fingers against it with a dull thud, then yelp and drop back down into his seat. "All awake and ready." Kuroo laughed, leaving, his bag in tow.

"I'm sorry, Morisuke, I tried to stop him." Haru told the third-year as he grumbled, soothing his bruised hands in his lap as the rest of the van laughed.

"It's alright, I'll get him back." Yaku grinned at her, an evil look passing his face. He grabbed his bag and then extended his hand for hers, too, which she gave without protest. Haru knew by now that no matter what she said or how she reasoned, the boys wouldn't let her carry her own things.

"Thanks," she told him, the two leaving the van together. It was already sunny out, making Haru raise her hand to shield her eyes. They were standing in the parking lot of a large school, with multiple buildings. "Where are we?" She asked.

"Fukurodani Academy," Yaku supplied, motioning for her to follow him. "The Fukurodani Academy Group, comprised of themselves, us and two more schools, holds training during summer." The libero passed the entrance, and the two could see Kuroo's figure vanishing into the main building of the school. "Every week, we switch where the practice is held. It used to be just at Fukurodani, but other sports teams complained to the board and now we have to switch hosting."

"That must be a lot of paperwork," Haru frowned, already familiar with how any sports team got anything from the school. They would have to write a request, get it approved for a plan, then submit a detailed plan of activities, budget and everything else related to the usage of facilities. Sometimes, when the request was as big as this, they would have to go in front of the board and explain their needs and argue for their cause. She dreaded the week when Nekoma would be hosting, already.

"You have an idea of how much, at least," Yaku laughed. "Last year it was Kuroo and me doing it. I'm glad that we'll have you as back-up this year."

"Did Kinoshita chew you out?" Kinoshita Masao was the vice-principal at Nekoma High. Whenever anyone submitted any kind of request, he called them into their office and then proceeded to make conditions under which that request could be approved. Haru had gotten quite familiar with the man, and she didn't like him one bit.

"Urgh," By Yaku's reaction, he was familiar with the man, as well. "I don't want to see that man ever again in my life."

"Perks of being third-year?" Haru suggested as the two finally walked into the school, Yaku holding the door open for her.

"Not sure if anything about being a third-year is a perk, if I'm being honest," the libero shrugged, leading them to change their shoes and then down a few hallways. "It's mostly bittersweet and stressful." Haru was doing her best trying to remember where they were going, but she gave up after the tenth turn Yaku took. She would simply have to stick to one of the boys for the first day, at least.

"I'm a little anxious about it, myself," the girl admitted. At Yaku's questioning hum, she told him more. "I mean, the whole college choosing thing. My parents want me to do something sport related, like medicine or coaching. I want to go into photography, though." Yaku gave a sigh.

"My parents are adamant about me choosing business as my major," he told her as they walked up the stairs. "They're both in some kind of a business type of work. My father works in a big company and my mother at a bank. They're hoping for me to follow in their footsteps, but, honestly, I just want to play volleyball." He shrugged. "I don't know what I'm going to do yet."

"Shouldn't you try to decide as quickly as possible?" Haru asked him, giving him a worried look. Yaku smiled at her.

"I found a business school, with different major options, which has a good volleyball team," the libero said. "I'm going to apply for a scholarship there." Then, he moved closer to her, whispering. "Also, one of the people at that benefit you took us to gave me his card, said he saw our matches. He wants to recruit me to play for his team."

"Go pro?!" Haru balked, turning to Yaku with a huge grin. "That would be amazing, Morisuke! Just imagine it!" Yaku laughed, putting a finger to his lips.

"Shhh! Don't tell anyone," he made her promise and Haru nodded. "Kuroo and Kai haven't been scouted yet, so I want to keep it under wraps if possible. But, that's one of my options," Yaku suddenly stopped. "Here we are." He opened the door to the classroom and entered. Kuroo was already there, half naked. Haru couldn't help it. Her eyes went down his bare back to the edge of his shorts, where his boxers peeked out.

"Like what you see?" The third-year caught her staring, his usual smirk present. Haru blinked, refocusing.

"You're sexy as heck, Kuroo-sempai." That made him dissolve into a blushing mess, while Yaku laughed. Kuroo turned back around, showing them his back as he fished out a shirt from his duffle bag.

"Why don't you wait outside while we change, Haru?" That made Yaku completely lose his bearings.

"She needs to change, too, Kuroo." The libero wheezed, especially when he saw the girl's smug smirk.

"Well, she can do it in another classroom!" The captain fired back. When he rose, struggling for a second to pull his shirt on, a black one with short sleeves which looked awfully good on him, his face was still red.

"I'm fine just here," Haru smiled innocently. "That's, if you don't mind me changing here, Morisuke?"

"Not at all," Yaku smiled back, hearing Kuroo groan and mumble something to himself about cruel women. Haru took her bag from the libero, picking a desk to place it on. She tried to stay away from the windows, as well as Kuroo. He seemed ready to lose it, and she just didn't feel right teasing him any more than she already had.

Haru unzipped the duffel, finding a set of comfortable shorts and a T-shirt to change into. She knew she wouldn't be able to change her bra in front of the boys, but she had luckily been prepared that morning and worn a sports one. It was rather comfortable, compared to any other she owned. She unzipped her Nekoma sweats, slipping the top off, then slid off her sneakers. She could hear the two boys talking in hushed whispers, changing, as well.

With a deep, silent breath, Haru finally slid her sweats down, stepping out of them. She didn't want to admit it, but she was nervous about changing in front of Kuroo. Yaku, she really didn't mind. But, Kuroo. She knew the way he saw her now. And, she saw him in a similar manner. It was embarrassing, changing her clothes with him just a few desks away, able to turn at any second and see her in only her underwear. Haru reminded herself that she'd been naked and in her underwear next to him before. But, it wasn't during the day, with a well-lit room, her inner voice helpfully supplied, making her blush even more.

"Woah," Kuroo's voice remarked breathlessly, just as the shorts passed Haru's thighs and slid into place. "Looking good in those black panties. Sexy as heck." She knew what he was doing. He had peeked, she was sure, otherwise he wouldn't know that she was wearing black underwear. However, she knew that all he was doing was tossing her own words back at her.

"They're hot, aren't they?" Haru turned around to find Kuroo smirking at her, but his blush betrayed his true feelings. He was beyond embarrassed, as well. Deciding to be extremely evil and she grasped the edge of her long-sleeved shirt, slowly pulling it up. She didn't see the way Kuroo gulped, but she sure did spot him gawking at her sports bra like it was pure gold on this earth. He seemed rendered immobile and speechless, simply staring.

"Oh, for God's sake!" Yaku finally snapped, turning around only in his boxers, cheeks red as well. He turned Kuroo around, making him sit in a desk chair and then motioned for Haru to also turn. He couldn't help but blush an even deeper shade at the sight of her without her shirt on. "No peeking, either of you kids!" Haru was certain that she heard him mumble something that sounded awfully like 'just get married already, freaky bedheads' under his breath. The two couldn't help laughing.

* * *

"Haaaru!" The familiar yell made the girl's head whip around, grinning already. "Hey, hey, hey!" Sure enough, Bokuto was there in a pair of shorts and a shirt, arms wide. Akaashi waved over from his spot beside the wing-spiker.

"Bokuto!" Haru made a beeline for the Fukurodani Ace and jumped into his waiting arms. She had gotten much closer to the wing-spiker over the past month, texting with him and meeting up for snacks or coffee when they had the time. Akaashi had even invited her to study during the exams, which Haru had declined, saying that she didn't want to go all study Nazi on them.

"Looking spiffy!" Bokuto pulled the girl off the floor with ease, squeezing her gently and swinging her from side to side. Haru couldn't help but laugh.

"Bokuto-san," Akaashi murmured, getting their attention, "Kuroo-san looks ready to kill you, maybe you should let Haru go." Bokuto smirked, but allowed for the girl to slip from his grip and land on the ground. Haru glanced at Kuroo, too, seeing the stormy expression on his face, which he was desperately trying to hide by talking to Yaku and Kai.

"He looks proper pissed, alright," Bokuto laughed. Akaashi nodded.

"Might want to watch yourself, Bokuto," Haru giggled. "I may have been teasing him by saying you have more stamina than he does." The wing-spiker laughed boomingly.

"That's the truth, though!"

"Bokuto, who's this?" One of the Fukurodani players walked over to the chatting trio, smiling.

"Ah, Konoha, this is Haru," Bokuto told him, as if that explained everything. Akaashi sighed.

"She's the Nekoma manager." The setter supplied. Instantly, Konoha's eyes brightened and he walked over extending his hand. Haru took it and shook it.

"So those shrubs finally got themselves a decent, and pretty to boot, manager!" The boy laughed, looking Haru up and down. "I'm Konoha Akinori, wing spiker. Say, wanna go out sometime?" Haru laughed at that, but before she could reply Bokuto did.

"You can't date her Konoha, she's going to marry Kubroo!"

"You're dating Kuroo?" Konoha startled, letting go of her hand. "My bad!" He apologized.

"No, no," Haru was quick to reply, waving a hand. "I mean, we've talked about it, but, he says he wants to ask me out epically, after a big win in a game or something." That made Bokuto frown.

"God, I never pegged him to be such a sap," Konoha mused, smiling. "I guess that's nice, too."

"I'm gonna go set him straight!" All three of them had to hold Bokuto by the back of his shirt so that he didn't go over to Kuroo and do something drastic.

* * *

Haru ended up meeting the rest of the Fukurodani Boys' Volleyball Club as all of them were assigned tasks they needed to do in order for the camp to start the next day. Haru was in a group with Yaku, Kenma, Konoha and Komi, and they were tasked with cleaning up the classrooms which would be used as sleeping quarters. They spent the majority of their morning moving desks into temporary storage, cleaning the floors and making certain that all the school items were properly put away. With either Konoha or Komi with her at all times, she was safe from getting lost, too.

Kenma had, as expected, tried to slack off. Haru had even found him in the bathroom at some point, facetiming with Akari. Yaku was mostly pulling his weight around, hauling desks and cleaning with devotion. They took occasional breaks, during which they chatted. When Haru found out that Komi and Konoha were both third-years, she had quickly apologized for being informal and started addressing them as sempais, which they'd told her immediately to stop doing. They commented how in sports when you were born doesn't really matter, only if you're willing to try hard and be good at the game.

She found out that while he typically played wing-spiker, Konoha could also set and block quite well, which had earned him the nickname Jack-Of-All-Trades, though he disliked it. After a short discussion about the quote, Haru had told him that the full version ended with 'but oftentimes better than a master of one', which he immediately brightened upon hearing. She also told him that they had players who were similar to him at Nekoma, and that she thought it was a rather nice nickname.

Komi, on the other hand, had admitted that he liked napping after lunch and that he hoped that there would be opportunities for that. Konoha had quickly jumped it, saying how the third-year libero often got in trouble for sleeping through the class they had after lunch, which had caused mayhem. Altogether, Haru had enjoyed her time with the Fukurodani members.

They finally took a longer break for lunch, which was a time when Kenma mysteriously reappeared, joining them on their trip downstairs and to the cafeteria. There, the two teams sat together, mismatched and intertwined in their different colors of shirts and jersey bottoms. Haru ended up settled between Akaashi and Yaku, the former rather quiet and the latter chattering with the Fukurodani members as old friends. It was a rather nice, heartwarming scene.

"How do you like Nekoma, Haru?" Sarukui, the middle blocker of Fukurodani who sat on the opposite side of the table, asked her.

"Will you stay as manager next year, too?" Kaori asked from her spot next to him. Haru had found out that the other school had two managers, both third-years. While Kaori had been there since her first year, Yukie had joined later, in her second. They were friends from class and often did things together.

"I like the boys and the coaches," Haru answered honestly, making Yaku blush at the smile she gave him. The boy nudged her with his shoulder, commenting how she was being embarrassing. "I think I'll stay next year, too, if you guys want me to?"

"Of course!" Yamamoto, Lev and Inuoka were quick to yell out, proving that they had been eavesdropping on their conversation.

"Good, good," Sarukui grinned. "Nekoma needed a manager to handle these idiots." He laughed.

"It's like a zoo," Haru commented, making the listening first and second-years protest instantly.

* * *

Evening seemed to arrive in a blink of an eye. They spent the majority of the day working, making arrangements for futons to be spread through different classrooms so that the boys could sleep comfortably after hard training. They were given the option of choosing who to room with, which caused mayhem, mostly. There was a room board at the bottom of the stairs, where they could all sign in with a whiteboard marker. Already, Haru could see that Yamamoto had chosen himself a room with Yaku and Kai, joined by Kuroo and Kenma. On the other hand, Fukunaga was planning on sleeping in the same classroom as Sarukui, Bokuto and Akaashi, also joined by Inuoka and Lev. Though, the arrangements hadn't been fixed yet.

Kaori and Yukie came to pick her up from the classroom where she'd been helping Akaashi and Yaku with futons, Kenma texting in the corner quite content to sit the whole ordeal out. They explained how dinner would be their duty, and most of the other meals, as well. As the girls headed downstairs and into the back of the cafeteria, the two supplied her with necessary information. They told Haru about the best foods to make for the boys and where the closest convenience store was. They had a budget for ingredients which they could work around together.

"We can make a schedule for cooking, if you want," Kaori usually did the most of the talking, which Haru didn't mind. Yukie seemed nice enough, but Kaori was definitely the friendlier of the two. "Shinzen and Ubugawa have a manager each, Mako and Eri. They're really nice." Kaori opened the kitchen door, letting all three girls in. "You're going to love them! Though, I'm not sure about the new school. Torino, was it?"

"Karasuno," Haru corrected, making the older girl nod and laugh apologetically. "They have Shimizu, but she's told me that she's looking for a first-year to replace her next year. So, they might have two managers, as well."

"Oh, perfect! More people to divide the work," Kaori grinned, taking Haru to the fridge and showing her what they already had available. While they went through ingredients, the Nekoma manager noticed Yukie taking out some fresh peppers, washing them and shamelessly munching on them slowly. "Yukie, don't eat everything before we get started again, please." Kaori scolded, making the other girl and Haru laugh.

* * *

Eri walked down the corridor, towards the cafeteria, swinging her head side to side to the upbeat tune of the popular song coming from her earbuds. She knew her way around Fukurodani Academy well enough, from last year. The Ubugawa manager had been glad to hear that they would not only have the new Nekoma manager to help out that year, but also probably two Karasuno ones. She was a little eager to meet the two girls which hadn't arrived yet, happy to finally have some more women present during the training camps to chat with.

As she was reaching for the kitchen door, a hand grabbed her elbow, pulling her back. Eri whipped around, finding Kaori there with a smirking face. The older girl motioned for her to take out her earbuds.

"Shouldn't we start on breakfast prep?" Asked Eri, pocketing her music. "You know we're always late with breakfast until we do the basics in the evening." Kaori shook her head, snickering.

"Look, look!" She whispered eagerly, pointing through the cafeteria door window. Eri joined the girl, sneaking up to it and then peeking in. Sure enough, when her music was off, she could hear the tune coming from inside. It was one that reminded her of Western Europe, like Spain or Portugal, though Eri wasn't too good with geography. But, that wasn't all that was happening in the kitchen.

"Is that Kuroo-san?" Eri asked incredulously, eyes wide.

"It is!" Kaori gushed, putting her hands on her cheeks. "And Haru! They look so cute!" The Nekoma captain and manager were inside the cafeteria, in the area where the boys typically lined up in front of the kitchen window to get their food. With the free space from the tables and chairs, there was enough room for them to move around a bit, and that's just what they were doing.

Kuroo's hands held the girl like she was made of glass, one on her shoulder blade and the other grasping her own. They were swinging to the beat of the music, doing strange circles, the captain spinning the manager from time to time. Eri balked, not quite used to seeing either of them like that. The girl had such a bright smile on her face, laughing whenever Kuroo made a mistake, then gently correcting him and showing him how to do it at a slower pace. He, on the other hand, wasn't smirking like Eri was used to seeing him do. His smile was rather genuine, like he was actually having fun dancing through the odd movements of hand swinging and spinning.

"Are they dating?" Eri asked, head tilting to the side.

"Not that I know," Kaori replied, still amazed by the sight, "but they look super cute together!" She watched as Kuroo pulled Haru in close, from one of the spins, their bodies almost colliding, though she managed to stop that from happening, instead giggling at his mistake.

"Should we interrupt?" Eri asked, head tilting to the other side. Kaori quickly shook her head.

"I'll just text Haru what needs to be ready tomorrow morning and they can do it when they're done… with whatever that is." The two girls shamelessly huddled, peering out the window to the dancing duo.

"How long have you been here, watching them?" The Ubugawa manager wondered.

"At least half an hour." Kaori grinned. "And, I left Haru to clean up after dinner. I suppose Kuroo found her." She grinned at the other girl. "They're so cute together!" The two girls watched for a while longer, before Eri yawned and then managed to drag Kaori away from the window somehow. However, for Kuroo and Haru, the night didn't end there.

"Like this," she instructed, leading him into the spin and showing him how to pull her to him. He was using too much force when he drew her in, which she doubted was an accident. She had ended up in his arms, tightly held in his grip, a few too many times for that to not be on purpose.

"I think I've got the hang of the spinny one," Kuroo told her, leading her into the turn that he was describing and pulling her in perfectly. "It's the one with the arms crisscrossing that I'm having trouble with." Haru followed the steps easily, letting him lead for once.

"Try it again." She encouraged. And, he did. At the first opening where he could, Kuroo slid the hand from her shoulder to her own fingers, taking them and then spinning her in a circle, their arms still connected. Still, Haru ended up a little bit too close to him at the very end of it, her chest colliding with his gently. Though, it broke his rhythm, forcing him to take a step back to center himself. He had grabbed her around the waist, to make certain they wouldn't fall over again, as they'd done a few times already. "Once more," Haru instructed, leading him into one more spin. Though, this time, he didn't manage to center himself and their legs ended up tangling.

Haru found herself on top of Kuroo, yet again, on the cafeteria floor which they'd wiped clean what seemed like hours ago. They both laughed at the blunder, the boy holding her hips while her hands were on his chest, propping her up.

"I think the crisscross turn might just be too much for me," Kuroo admitted, letting his head fall back onto the floor.

"Kuroo, quick study of salsa, gives up?" Haru teased, which made him look up at her, those eyes a little too intense to be innocent.

"I prefer this, after all," he smirked at her and Haru suddenly became aware of all the place where their bodies were touching, rather intimately. He had her settled, hips against hips, on top of him. She thought about scrambling off of him, but that would just prove his point. So, instead, she gave into the moment, giving him a small coy smile.

"Me too," she told him in a low whisper and felt the shiver that went through his body at her tone. "Makes you think of all the things we could do if you would just ask me out."

"Yeah," Kuroo breathed out, hand reaching up and tucking a small lock of loose hair behind her ear. Then, his fingers went even further up, to her bun, undoing the hairband there. Haru's locks spilled all around the two of them, creating a curtain which seemed to shield them from the world, trapping them in their own moment.

"Are you ever going to ask me out?" Haru asked, looking down at the boy pensively. Kuroo shrugged, the movement jostling her. But, Haru had had enough of his idiocy. The warm, firm body underneath her own, the tender fingers in her hair, everything made her hyper-aware of him. "Alright," she nodded and then pushed herself up his body with one hand, leaning down.

"Haru, wha-" she shut him up by covering his lips with her own. It didn't even take him a second to reciprocate, which made her hum in content. God, his lips felt like everything she had imagined, but _better_. They were unusually soft, for a boy's lips, and warm. He was a good kisser, too, taking the lead in their intimate dance almost instantly. In fact, she felt like he was a starved man given food for the first time in a while by the way he eagerly moved his lips against hers, exploring the new territory, finding out what made her sigh and what made her gasp.

Kuroo's hand slid deeper into her hair, tugging on it gently and scraping her scalp. It was positively sinful and should've been illegal. It made her fingers grip his shirt as tightly as they could, tugging it to her. The hand on her waist remained awfully polite, simply staying still. But, Haru had had enough of his restraint. She'd had enough of his iron self-control.

In a single motion, she rolled her hips over his, which made him gasp out a strangled sound, that still hand flying down to her behind in an instant. God, that grip felt good, too. But, Haru reminded herself of what her goal was, gently pecking his lips one last time before pulling away. She looked at him, seeing the glazed gaze fixated on her, the parted lips, kiss-bruised and the blush on his cheeks which seemed oh so honest.

"Maybe you should ask me out sometime, then." She told him and then pulled away completely, standing up. She didn't wait for him to get up, but turned, leaving the cafeteria with a single parting sentence. "I'm going to bed." She left him there, just as bothered as she was, the single kiss not enough, and went to sleep in the girls' room, only to dream of those sinful lips the whole night.

* * *

 **I'm so sorry, I suck at writing these kinds of scenes, please give me feedback xD**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **Bookdragonslayer:  
Thanks for the review!  
Gosh, summer training episodes are some of my favorites! I'm gonna have a blast writing this part xD  
Glad you did :D I like the idea of Nekoma being a little childish and betting hahhahah**

 **Mixie18:  
Thanks for the comment! Hope you enjoyed the chapter :D**

 **Rosto'sGirl:  
I think this chapter is finally making up a bit for what I've been putting you guys and Kuroo through xD  
Haru has a weird family… But, don't we all? I hope it explains more of how she is :D Though, friends are a great support system, so I had fun writing that into her character :D  
Jesus. Exams. I hate exams. They make me stress beforehand. Then, when I finally sit down to actually do the test, I'm totally chill xD But, the waiting and anticipation is hell xD 100% hell. xD You should see the size of my coffee mug… It's like twice normal size and always full during exam season hahhahah  
Thanks xD Mostly, I think I've done well so far… I have one more next Saturday, and then Japanese and then the January exams xD It's gonna be fun hahahhaha  
Hope you enjoyed the chapter!**

* * *

 **Omake:**

Kuroo sat on the floor, watching as Haru left him, hips swaying right under the tips of her curls as she closed the cafeteria door behind her. He sighed, hand going to rake through his hair. Then, he dropped back down on the cold tiles, welcoming the cool surface in hopes that it would calm him down. His body was on fire and his mind was aflame, thinking back to the way her soft form pressed against his so perfectly. The tight grip on his shirt seemed to still be there, like a ghosting touch, and his hand went up, settling on the spot. He had a painful problem that he _knew_ wouldn't go away. She was going to be the absolute death of him, Kuroo realized.

"I'm in big trouble." He whispered to the empty cafeteria. He wasn't sure how long it took him to collect himself and get up, walking towards the bathroom first, to try and calm down. His heart was racing like it had run a marathon and he didn't know how to get it to take a chill pill. Shamelessly, Kuroo started thinking about how he could finally ask the girl out, so that he could get those lips back on his as soon as possible. He wasn't sure that he could survive without them, after all. Now that he'd had a taste, he just wanted more.

* * *

 **That's all folks!**


	26. Bedheads

**Urgh, I'm so done with myself after this chapter. Definitely among the top favs I've written so far. Enjoy silly Kuroo!**

* * *

 **Chapter 26: Bedheads**

Haru woke up that morning to the feeling of complete bliss. Though, as soon as her brain caught up with the source of that joy, the feeling of soft, warm lips against her own, the dread set in. She stayed lying in her bed, looking at the ceiling of the Fukurodani Academy classroom which had been assigned to the girls until Kaori shook her.

"Are you awake, Haru?" The older girl asked, making the Nekoma manager turn to her, look at her blankly, then blush and attempt to hide into the pillow of her futon. "Wah!" Kaori yelped at the quick motion, pulling at the covers again. "What's that reaction for?"

"If downth somthgth sthupdth." Haru mumbled into her pillow, not turning around.

"I have no idea what you just said," Kaori laughed. Haru peeked out of the pillow, noticing that the other managers had also joined them on the futons, all still in their sleepwear, hair messy.

"I said, I've done something stupid." The girl repeated.

"Did you finally jump Kuroo?" Eri laughed, making Haru's face take on a new, quite interesting shade of red. "Oh my God! You did, didn't you?" The Ubugawa manager laughed, her own face blushing.

"Spill! Spill!" Kaori chanted, pulling on the covers.

"Wait, what happened?" Mako joined them, pulling even closer to the girls, bringing her bag of cosmetics with her. Haru just dove back into her pillow, while Kaori tried to explain through giggles.

"Well, we found Haru here and Kuroo, from Nekoma, dancing romantically last night in the cafeteria," the Fukurodani manager explained. "And, apparently, after we left, something happened!"

"Oooh? That Kuroo?" Mako asked, smirking. "He's cute, don't you think?" Eri nodded.

"Hot is more like it," she sighed. "I wish we had someone like that on our team. I would be able to look forward to practice a bit more." Eri laughed.

"Back to the point, girls," Yukie reminded. "What happened Haru?" The girl finally peeked out of her pillow again, managing to collect herself somewhat. She sat up on her futon and pushed her messy bed hair back, sighing.

"Well, Kuroo-sempai has been making advances at me for a while," the girls all gasped and scooted forwards, listening with rapt attention. "He told me some time ago that he wanted to ask me out after a big game, like an epic win and then do it,"

"Gosh, that's so romantic!" Eri cooed.

"I never knew he'd be such a romantic!" Kaori nodded. "He looks more like the 'I'm gonna push you against this wall and make you beg for me to do more than just kiss' kind of guy." Haru laughed at that.

"Oh, he's super shy about that stuff!" She told the group. "It's really cute." Yukie's head tilted to the side.

"He doesn't seem like it," she mused. "He seems like he's the experienced kind."

"Wait, wait, what happened last night?" Eri made the girls refocus. Haru blushed deeply again. She forced herself to take a calming breath and then told the girls.

"I was a bit miffed that he was always just hinting things and never doing anything," she said in a shaky tone, her hands suddenly very cold. "So, I kissed him." There was a lot of squealing.

"Was it good?" Mako asked eagerly.

"Was there tongue?" Kaori wanted to know, which made Haru's blush intensify to an almost impossible shade of red.

"Was it horrible and you don't want to see him ever again?" Yukie laughed. Haru quickly shook her head.

"No, no, it was really good," the girl told them. "Like, it was _too_ good, if you know what I mean?" The girls nodded.

"Lots of tongue?"

"None of it."

"Oh, gosh, imagine with tongue then!" Eri squealed, making Haru hide her face in her hands. The managers began laughing at her reaction, squealing and making kissy faces at her.

"But, I don't see the issue, if it was that good?" Yukie said again. "Just ask _him_ to go out with _you_ , and problem solved!" Haru shook her head.

"That would be admitting defeat!" She grumbled. "No, I can't face him! I already admitted defeat with that kiss! God, I shouldn't've done it!" The girls exchanged knowing looks at her face of determination and shame, before Kaori giggled.

"So, _that's_ the kind of relationship you two have!" And they were all laughing again.

* * *

She was avoiding him. At first, he didn't notice it, due to her duties taking her in a different direction from his own obligations, but he could see it clearly now. Haru was blatantly avoiding him. What she didn't know was that the sight of her walking away, with that loose hair, as he still had her hair band around his wrist, made him flash back to the previous night, when she'd left him in a troubled state on the cafeteria floor.

During breakfast, she'd chosen to cook in the back of the kitchen, successfully out of his line of vision at most times. He hadn't thought much of it. It was a typical thing a manager would do. After Karasuno had arrived, successfully making half the Nekoma team depressed by ending their pool, rather unfavorably for most, Kuroo had noticed her avoiding tactics even more. She'd chosen to talk to Shimizu or even Tanaka and Nishinoya, rather than hang out with her own team. Haru was avoiding him. Of course, he couldn't have that.

"What's that on your wrist?" Yamamoto asked, spotting the blue hair band. Kuroo smirked, giving him a look that screamed superiority.

"Why do you think Haru has her hair down?" Instantly, Yamamoto went into chaos mode during their water break.

"What did you do to her?" Kenma immediately asked in a flat tone, noticing that their manager was nowhere to be found.

"Nothing!" Kuroo defended, making both him and Yaku give him dubious looks. "It's more like what she did to me! She's a cruel woman!"

"Serves you right," Yaku laughed, tossing his towel on the bench and walking back to the practice match against Fukurodani. Bokuto was in high spirits and giving them plenty of trouble with scoring.

But, Kuroo wouldn't let a bit of avoiding deter him. After they did their punishment for losing, laps of diving drills, the Nekoma team went out of the gym, splaying on the grass and soaking up the sun. They had a small break before they would play again. Kuroo lay on the ground, watching the clouds drift lazily across the blue summer sky, his mind busy with thoughts.

He knew that that kiss last night was the breaking point. For the both of them. He couldn't wait anymore. She had proven that she was just as impatient, if not more. He didn't think that he would have the self-control to simply go back to teasing and casual, almost platonic touching that had been happening for a while. The line which neither of them should've crossed unless they'd wanted more had been crossed. And, since it had, he wouldn't be the one to stand idly by and let Haru retreat back into her own shell.

He'd seen her do it before. Kuroo could remember how she'd gone back to her usual routine within a day after the Golden Week Camp. He could recall her simply nodding to him in the hallways, calling him 'sempai' and generally dismissing any kind of intimacy that they'd shared during the camp. He wouldn't give her the opportunity to retreat. He would be the one to take the next step.

Kuroo sat up, ignoring the questioning look Kai gave him, and looked around. Instantly, he spotted something he could use to his advantage. With a sly smirk on his face, the captain pushed himself onto his feet in one languid motion, going for his target.

* * *

Haru was glad that her plan had worked, and Kuroo had seemed none the wiser. Despite the numerous encouragements she'd gotten from the other managers, she knew that her heart wouldn't be able to take facing the boy. So, she'd opted to stay away. It was easy to map out his activities during the day. Kuroo would attend breakfast, with other teams, hence she volunteered to be behind the counter, at the stove, keeping things warm and cooking last minute things. They had been late due to her not finishing the prep work, as she hadn't noticed Kaori's message in her state after last night. Then, Kuroo would head out to practice. That was when Haru had asked if they needed anything from the store helpfully, after laying out the water bottles and towels early. She had been awarded store duty, which she'd eagerly accepted. During the breaks the boys had, lying on the grass outside, she kept herself busy with water bottles. Haru had also volunteered to go into the kitchen early that day, in order to get lunch started on time.

But, as her luck would have it, Kuroo had managed to jam a finger on a ball just as she was planning to leave the gym. He walked over to the bench, getting subbed out, and grinning as sweat dripped down his face and neck.

"Sorry, Haru, can you wrap this for me?" He asked, and she had an inkling that he could do it all on his own. It was simply a tactic to talk to her. Regardless, as a manager, it was her duty to be the support of the team.

"Of course," she waved him over, straddling the bench as he did the same, face to face with the source of her troubled dreams the previous night. Kuroo behaved, though, which surprised her. His eyes remained on the game as he extended his hand to her, letting her work. Haru took the finger, this time the middle one, and carefully cooled it down and then felt around it with the pads of her fingers. There was no bleeding, the nail wasn't busted and it looked like just a light jam. She took the tape she'd become quite familiar with during her time with the volleyball team and wrapped it securely. Not too tight, not too loose, so that the third-year could return to the game as quickly as possible. She'd been naïve to think that he would let her off so easily.

"Say, Haru," Kuroo began, which made her look up, blush profusely, and then look back down again. "I've been thinking," he continued as if she hadn't done a thing, but she had seen that smirk which spelled trouble for her. "Since we already have your father's blessing," he continued and dread finally grew to impossible proportions in her stomach. She quickly put her hands up, letting go of his, which made the relaxed limb drop with a thud to the bench, and she covered his mouth muffling the next words that he said. "Wishkj yuogh mauufrgy mrgh?" Her eyes were wide and she could feel his smirk against her palms.

"Whatever that was, I don't want to hear it." She told him. But, Kuroo just peeled her hands away with his injured one, knowing that she wouldn't risk hurting it further by resisting. Instead, he beamed at her, the other hand finally reappearing from somewhere behind him.

"Will you marry me?" Kuroo asked with that smug smirk. Haru's eyes slowly slid down to his other hand, which wasn't holding hers, and she spotted the silly thing he was holding. It was a white flower, the stem broken in half in one place so that the rest of it could go through it, making a small ring. Haru didn't recognize the flower, but all she could do was let her brain short-circuit. She was certain that her face was aflame. "Is an anemone not good enough?" Kuroo asked, watching her head literally blow up on her shoulders. "You know in hanakotoba it means sincere, right?"

"T-that's not the point!" Haru finally managed to make her brain work, and it settled on anger. She slapped the smug third-year's chest, hard, making him wince and then rub the spot tenderly.

"No need to be so violent, geez," Kuroo whined. "You can always say you're simply not interested anymore."

"I am!"

"Then, you'll marry me?"

"What?!" Yamamoto joined their argument, as the boys had gotten a time out for a water break. The whole team was watching at that point, which made Haru blush even more.

"Never!" She shrieked, standing up, getting her foot caught on the bench and almost face-planting to the floor. Luckily, the sweaty arms of Kai caught her, pulling her up. "Thanks." She breathlessly told him, her head feeling like it would explode. When she turned, though, she noticed that Kuroo had moved, too. He was now down on one knee on the floor, extending the silly flower ring to her, successfully attracting the attention of the whole gym.

"Sakurano Chiharu, will you marry me?" He asked again, smirking that smug smirk of his which just made her want to slap him silly.

"N-"

"Oi, the bedheads are getting married!" Someone shouted and Haru just wanted the ground to open underneath her and swallow her right up.

"What did she say?"

"Finally!"

"I was worried they'd be flirting the whole camp!" The comments and laughter kept rolling, making Haru blush even more, which she didn't think would be possible. She looked at Kuroo, ready to tear him a new one, when she noticed his expression. The gym suddenly vanished from around her. Everything became quiet. She could only see those eyes, amber, looking slightly dejected and mostly apprehensive. Yet, he seemed hopeful. That smirk was a total farce, she realized. He wasn't sure if she would reject him. And, if she did, she would crush him. He was _sincere_. And idiot, but a sincere idiot.

"Yes." Haru breathed out, extending her left hand slowly. The gym appeared again, the sounds pouring in. The Nekoma team had descended into chaos, quickly joined by different members of other teams. Nekomata was laughing, while Naoi kept spluttering, arms going from pointing to them, to the coach, as if saying 'do something'. But, all Kuroo did amidst that mayhem was stand up, gently take her hand and then slip the silly flower band onto the ring finger, struggling for a second to make certain that it was tight enough and secure. He was close enough to her so that she could smell his aftershave mixed with sweat, the breath of fresh sandalwood overwhelming.

"I was afraid you'd leave me hanging there," he chuckled, bringing her hand up to his lips and softly kissing her knuckles. Haru glared at him half-heartedly, unable to keep a smile off her face. "She said yes!" Kuroo yelled out suddenly, brining their connected hands high up, much to the delight and general confusion of the full gym.

"Shut up, you dork!" She scolded, laughing. But, she didn't pull her hand back.

"They're getting married?" Haru heard Nishinoya ask and wanted to fall into a hole, yet again.

"Seems so," That sounded like Sugawara, which made her blush even more.

"I need to get lunch ready!" Haru took her hand away from Kuroo's running away, the chanting of 'kiss, kiss, kiss' following her on her way out. She didn't breathe until she was in the kitchen, safe, and alone with her thundering heart.

* * *

Lunch came and passed, thankfully, without much trouble. Haru managed to hide herself among the group of managers, which seemed to be under the protection of Noya, Tanaka and Yamamoto. That meant that sans a teasing comment or two, she mostly didn't get bothered. The girls were eager to talk about the new development in the romantic comedy which was her and Kuroo, though. Even Shimizu was interested, while Yachi, the new Karasuno manager, kept remarking how they were both really mature. Haru assured her numerous times that for Kuroo and her mature was pretty much an alien concept and that it was all a big joke, as usual. Yet, she had put on that flower ring after cooking, careful not to mess it up. Kaori hadn't missed the chance to comment about that.

It was after lunch, while the boys had a short break to take showers, talk and time to digest the food before getting back to work, that Haru wandered outside to toss the trash, finding Kenma sitting alone. He glanced up at her, then returned to scrolling through his phone mindlessly.

"Wanna give me a hand?" Haru knew by now how Kenma's moods worked. If he was playing something, it was all good. If he was texting, it was even better. However, when he was simply scrolling, not really looking at what he was scrolling through, that spelled trouble. The setter's eyes rose again, finding hers. Then, he nodded mutely, pocketing his phone and taking one of the huge black trash bags from her arms. They walked in silence to the bin a little way off the Academy property, Haru opening the lid and both of them tossing the trash in. "What's up?" She finally asked him as they closed the lid and started walking back.

"Nothing…" Kenma replied in a low tone, keeping his eyes on his feet. Haru nudged him with her shoulder gently.

"I know you better than that," she smiled. "Is there anything I can do?" Kenma looked at her, then quickly refocused on his sneakers, brows furrowed.

"It's weird…" he told her hesitantly.

"I won't laugh," the girl promised.

"I miss Akari." He told her. Haru looked over at the setter, noticing the light blush on his cheeks and the way his hands clenched and unclenched at his sides. He really was bothered about the fact. But, before she could reassure him that it was normal, especially with a person as bubbly as Akari, he continued. "I was thinking, I'll catch a bus and go see her tonight after dinner. I'll get back in time for morning practice." Haru balked.

"Kenma, no," she grabbed his shoulder, stopping him. "You can't leave the camp on your own." Kenma gave her a pitiful look of pure suffering. "Look, let me just," Haru opened and closed her mouth, then shook her head. "I've got it, alright? I'll do something about it." Kenma looked the girl up and down, noticing the determined look on her face. Then, he mutely nodded. Haru grinned back, taking his hand and making certain that he got back to the Academy. Knowing Kenma, he could listen to her, but he could also bolt now that he knew she could ruin his epic plans. Haru was left outside of the building to sigh. Her hand rose to her hair and messed it up even further. She didn't know where her hair band was and it bothered her. She should've brought more than one.

"What's got you looking so troubled, honey?" Kuroo's familiar voice asked from behind her. Haru turned, finding him standing there, looking smug in the shade of the building. What caught her attention, though, wasn't the pet name he'd given her, but the blue hair band he kept playing with.

"My hair band!" She rushed forward, reaching for it. He put his hand up, though, far out of her reach, and twirled the hair band expertly around his index finger. "Kuroo," Haru got on her tiptoes, one hand clutching his shirt to steady herself as the other reached for the item she _needed_. "Give it back!"

"Sure," the smug captain said in a teasing tone. "Give me some love, first." He looked at her pointedly and the girl suddenly realized how close they were to each other. She immediately stepped back, deciding that the hair band wasn't worth the hassle. The girl huffed and turned, walking away with a shake of her head. But, Kuroo grabbed her elbow and pulled her back. "Woah, woah, woah, what's got you running away from me like that?" Haru turned around, cheeks blushing as she looked up at him shyly. "Haru," Kuroo gave her a soft, yet pointed, look. "Talk to me." She shook her head, then sat down on the warm grass next to the walkway. The third-year joined her.

"I-" she began, then stopped, shaking her head. "I don't know how to do this." She told him honestly.

"Do what?"

"This," her hands motioned between the two of them. Haru looked up to see him tilting his head to the side in confusion. "I don't know how these things work." At that, Kuroo hummed, nodding. Then, he froze and looked at her wide-eyed.

"Wait, am I your first boyfriend?" He spotted the way her cheeks went flaming. "Ever?" He was shocked. Haru was pretty. She was really pretty. And, she had a great body and she was kind and sweet. She was catch. An exotic catch. He hadn't doubted that she'd had boyfriends before. Oddly, it seemed that he'd been wrong. Kuroo slapped his forehead, head dropping down. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I didn't realize. I should've been more sensitive about it."

"Eh?" Haru asked, not really sure how he could've been more sensitive about it. "I don't really shout it from the rooftops, so I'm not sure how you could've known." Kuroo shook his head.

"No, look, I just assumed," he seemed to rethink that and then continued. "Just communicate. That's all there is to it. Tell me when you're uncomfortable or when something is good, and we'll be golden. Communication is the key."

"In sex?" Haru smirked at him, but then noticed him splutter. He saw her grin and immediately flushed, hiding his face.

"See? This is why you confused me!" The third-year complained. Haru giggled, suddenly feeling more comfortable with the whole situation.

"Don't worry, Kuroo-sempai," she told him teasingly, "I'll make sure to follow your instructions Master of Relationships! Communication is the key!" She burst out laughing. "What is this, volleyball?" She got him flushing even more, reveling in the power she had over him.

"Your father was right, you're a cruel woman," Kuroo whispered. Then, he seemed to remember. "And stop it with that sempai stuff. We're dating, aren't we?"

"I suppose?"

"Wait, how do you mean you suppose?" She had him flustered again. "I asked you properly, don't pull this stuff on me now!" Haru couldn't help herself, he was simply too cute, bumbling like that. She leaned forward, grabbing his shirt and pulling him to her, kissing him gently on the cheek. "That's much better," Kuroo smirked at her, then caught her wrist as she was pulling back, drawing her back in.

Before Haru knew what was going on, those lips that she'd dreamt about were on her own again. Kuroo reached out to steady her in the oddly uncomfortable position of sitting crisscross while leaning forward, never breaking their contact. He was gentle with her, leading the kiss and his hands were never still, one at her hip while the other went to her hair, pulling her further in. He let her go, finally, leaving her to sit back in her crisscross position breathless with flushed cheeks.

"That was uncomfortable," Haru told him, making him balk.

"What? How?"

"Cause of the way I was sitting."

"Then stop sitting like that!" Haru giggled again, then uncrossed her legs and scooched forward, so that she was settled in between his stretched-out limbs. His hands came to her waist once more, pulling her closer. When her knees came to touch his thighs, he finally stopped drawing her in. "Better?" He asked and she nodded.

"Still, could be better," she giggled when he sighed in exasperation. But, Kuroo wasn't one for easily giving up. He pulled his own legs closed, enveloping hers, and then drew her even more in, forcing her to awkwardly maneuver her legs over his, finally sitting in his lap, facing him.

"Better?" He asked again with a smirk. Their hips were aligned, stomachs and chests touching with every breath, for once, her head on level with his.

"Much," Haru admitted, then let him lean in and kiss her again, slowly. She sighed when his hands buried into her hair, tugging on the messy locks gently. Her fingers twisted in the front of his shirt, enjoying every bit of the movement of soft lips against her own.

"You're going to kill me," Kuroo sighed once their kiss ended, dropping his head to her shoulder, breathing in her familiar, intoxicating scent. Haru just giggled, her arms going around his shoulders, hugging him to her.

"I fully intend to give you many heart attacks." She admitted coyly.

"Cruel woman." Kuroo gave up, but there was a smile on his face as he slowly switched from just resting in the crook of her neck to placing slow kisses on the exposed flesh, which made her sigh so prettily in absolute content.

* * *

 **Thanks so much for the feedback on the last chapter! I hope yall enjoyed this one as much as I did writing it :D**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **Milo21:  
Thanks so much for the feedback!  
I'm really nervous when writing romantic scenes, because I'm not too good with those situations myself xD So, I'm glad that you liked it :D I'll do my best in the future :D  
Cheers! **

**Valen Goncalvez:  
Someone had to finally crack, right? xD**

 **Madama Crimson:  
Thanks so much for the review!  
I think I've fulfilled your wishes of them finally dating, eh? xD Glad that you liked the spicy kiss :P I'm always anxious when writing romantic scenes xD I suck at romantic moments myself xD  
Haru and Bokuto are love xD Bokuto is in general omg xD I just love that dude! I had a feeling that he would get along with Haru really well :D  
Glad that the friendship with the other managers wasn't too rushed :D I feel like those girls would totally bond over being constantly surrounded by silly guys from the teams XD  
Kenma and Akari are coming again! More cuteness XD  
Yaku deserved to be scouted 100%! I had to do it xD He deserves the best of the best xD  
Cheers! **

**deadlywhisper21:  
Thanks so much for the feedback!  
Kuroo is a total slowpoke and he's a dork xD Haru had to be the one to break their odd balance with being straightforward and not thinking at the moment xD Best way to make him do something in return :P  
Urgh, I think I just suck at romance myself? Like, I'm always super awkward and don't know what to do with myself xD So, romantic scenes don't come easily, which is weird when you consider my preferred writing genre being slice of life romance hahahaha But, I'm glad that I managed to pull it off! Smut has been requested and there shall be smut in the future xD  
I've mostly been solving my exam anxiety by writing this… Seriously, I did like twenty chapters in a month xD I write about one a day hahahaha It's an insane pace and I will eventually slow down, but I'm riding the high for now hahhaha  
Glad you enjoyed!**

* * *

 **Omake:**

Bokuto found Akaashi standing at the window of the classroom where they were sleeping, looking out with a pensive, content look.

"Akaashi!" The wing-spiker called out, walking over. "What's got you so interested out there? I need some tosses, Akaashi!" But, the setter turned to him to give him a small smirk and motioned with his head out the window. Bokuto joined him, looking out. He instantly spotted what had had the silent setter so occupied. Kuroo had Haru in his lap, straddling him, as they talked, kissing in between gently, looking so absolutely in love. "They sure move fast." The wing-spiker commented. "Should we pour a bucket of water over them?" He grinned at the setter, who smirked.

"Maybe some other time," he promised. "They probably have quite a few things to work out." Bokuto instantly brightened at that.

"Then, then, give me a toss!" Akaashi sighed, turning away from the peaceful image and submitting himself to Bokuto's after-practice practice.

"Sure." And the two were off, the Fukurodani ace ecstatic.

* * *

 **That's all folks!**


	27. Close

**Okay. First of all, I must apologize… I re-read and re-watched these few episodes, but the timeline is really hazy to follow. Hence, I'm going to be taking some liberties with the number of days and so on. However, regardless of my own issues with myself, I hope the lot of you will enjoy the chapter! I promised some steamy scenes, and there shall be some :D**

* * *

 **Chapter 27: Close**

Akari arrived at Fukurodani Academy, glancing at her phone for directions multiple times before she finally found it. She had a bag in her hand with a few things Haru had asked her to pick up for her on Monday when she had the time. She hadn't particularly minded the errand, especially since they had no school and she needed at least some amusement. And, when her friend had told her of Kuroo's proposal, she couldn't resist taking the train to travel a few stops and see her in person to tease her.

"Akari!" Haru's voice caught her attention. Akari's head snapped up from her phone, where she'd texted that she had arrived, and to the running girl. Haru was wearing the usual red Nekoma sports sweats, which looked rather good on her. The bottoms fit her wide hips nicely, accenting them, and the white shirt she'd coupled with the red top showed off her generous breasts. Indeed, her friend was enviously well-endowed. Akari glanced down at her own chest briefly. "Thanks for coming!" Haru took a moment to catch her breath when she reached the gates.

"No problem," Akari grinned. "Just give me some of those, you have too much." She sneakily pointed at Haru's chest, making the girl blush.

"Take as much as you want, please." Haru took the bag from Akari's hands, leading the girl into the Academy. It was well-known among the two friends that the half Cuban girl wasn't too fond of her looks. She didn't like the attention her large breasts brought from the male population at school, and she was often uncomfortable about the comments that attention made the female population spread. "We're going to take a break in a bit, wanna say hi to Kenma?"

"Hell yes!" Akari and Haru intertwined their arms as they usually did, walking to the gym where the boys were practicing. "I've been missing him like crazy. Are you supposed to miss your boyfriend this much? It's never happened to me before?"

"I wouldn't know…" Haru mused. "Though, I think I'd, oddly enough, miss Kuroo is he was away." Akari groaned.

"Just call him by his first name, you're together now, no?" Haru nodded shyly.

"It's weird, though." The girl admitted. When Akari gave her a questioning look, she elaborated. "I mean, I've been calling him Kuroo-sempai for ages! It's in my head now… Calling him Tetsurō would be weird."

"I get that, I suppose." Akari mused. "So, tell me, how did he do it? Have you kissed? Is he as good as he seems?" Haru blushed, but then squealed and tugged on her friend's arm in joy.

"Oh, even better than I thought he'd be! It's like… I don't know! It's so good! And it's not always super hot, it's sometimes super sweet, and oh, gosh, I always want to kiss him when I see him now!" Akari was giggling through her explanation, tugging on their connected arms, as well.

"Now you know why Kenma and I can't keep our hands to ourselves!" Haru nodded.

"I totally get it," she gushed. "Gosh, why hadn't we done it earlier?"

"I've been saying that for ages!" Akari laughed. The two walked up to the door of the gym, finding the boys outside on the small grass patch, drinking water, lying down and looking generally dead. "Look, we'll talk more, I want to hear _all_ about Kuroo-sempai. And, I do mean _all of it_."

"Okay," Haru nodded. Then, Akari gave her a small kiss on the cheek and bounded off to the familiar pudding head with a huge grin on her face.

"Doing good for humanity?" Kuroo asked from his spot on the grass, spread out like some kind of a cooked, middle blocker star.

"I suppose," Haru joined him, the bag Akari had brough next to her. "Did you get completely worn out?" The girl teased.

"Not completely," Kuroo smirked, waggling his eyebrows suggestively. Haru shook her head, not taking the bait. "A little PDA is good for the soul." The third-year told her, pushing himself up on trembling arms and kissing her before she knew what was happening. Her eyes closed on instinct, welcoming the contact. Kuroo's hand was around her waist, pulling her closer to him. It was only after her body touched his, noticing the sweat on his jersey, that Haru pulled away.

"Oh my God," she pushed him away gently. "That's gross." Kuroo laughed, dropping back onto the grass. There was a whistle coming from one of the Fukurodani team members.

"Now look what you did," Haru scolded half-heartedly. "We've become the local show."

"Is that so bad?" Kuroo asked with a smirk.

"Not at all," and Haru proceeded to wipe that smug grin off his face by bending down for another kiss, this time careful not to touch his sweaty body.

* * *

"He hit is like whaam!" Kenma watched as Hinata's hands flew all over the place, explaining. "And then it was kablaaam!" The hands moved again. It was like watching some kind of a medusa monster at the final boss fight doing ten moves at once, attacking in multiple directions. But, Kenma could also see what Hinata was getting at.

"That's because of the setting point, Shōyō," he told him, then frowned for a second, trying to decide how best to explain it in terms that the boy would fully understand.

"You're going to get wrinkles, like an old man," the voice behind him made him promptly drop his water bottle, then fumble to catch it. A finger pressed to the middle of his brows, where it usually did when she was making that point. "Right there." Kenma leaned his head back, the image of Akari's face coming into focus upside down.

"Woah!" Hinata gasped. "So pretty!" Akari giggled at that, smiling at him politely.

"Thanks!" Immediately, Hinata blushed profusely. "You must be Shōyō!" Kenma could swear that the boy's head literally blew up, a weird grin spreading on his face. "Oh, sorry, Hinata-kun?" Immediately, Hinata was doing some kind of a waving his hands in dismissal but still not recovered from before noodle dance.

"Shōyōshfine!"

"Is that Japanese?" Akari's head tilted to the side, which made Kenma chuckle.

"I think he says first name's fine, Akari." Kenma finally spoke, head rising again to look at her from his seated position. "Why are you here?" Akari pouted at him.

"Came to drop off some of Haru's things and see you," she smiled at him in a telltale way. "Want me to go?"

"No." The instinctive reply which came without a second's hesitation seemed to change something in the girl.

"Sorry, Shōyō, can I steal him for a bit?" Hinata seemed to mutely nod and then wave as Akari took Kenma's hand, pulling him up and leading him away from the group. Kenma couldn't help it. His fingers started playing with hers, tracing them and switching their grip. He had missed that. He had missed the contact which had become a daily thing. "How long is your break?" Akari whispered as soon as they were inside the building of the Academy.

"Ten more minutes." Kenma replied without looking at his phone for the time.

"Closest room we can use?"

"This way." He took the lead, eager to satisfy his weird need for skin to skin contact with the girl.

* * *

Kuroo was miffed. On one hand, he was glad that Kenma had gotten himself a girlfriend and that they were eager to have some alone time. On the other hand, he didn't like that the fact that the setter had left with a pretty girl had unleashed the orange unknown territory onto him and Haru, breaking their peaceful moment. They'd simply been chatting, about games, plans and so on, when Hinata had descended upon them, stumbling over his words.

"Ha-Haru-chan, who was that? Do you know her?" Hinata plopped down next to them, taking all of Haru's attention. Kuroo had seen how, after their practice game, their manager had checked the small middle blocker for signs of concussion and how they'd chatted. What he hadn't realized back then, but was coming to find out now, was that she'd developed some kind of a maternal instinct towards him. "She's so pretty!"

"Ah, Akari? She's my best friend," Haru replied, smiling at the first year.

"Akari!" Hinata blushed. "She called me by my first name!" Haru sighed, apologizing immediately.

"That's probably Kenma's fault," Kuroo joined in. "He doesn't do the whole formality thing and he's probably talked to her about you."

"O-ooh!" Hinata seemed shocked, cheeks still blushing. Kuroo could swear he saw stars sparking all around him. "Why? Why?" The questions flew to both of them, making the captain instantly a tad tired.

"Because you two are friends, and Akari's Kenma's girlfriend." Haru told him. Kuroo was jealous of the way she was looking at him quite openly. He wanted to go back to those lazy kisses in between conversation, and he just knew that Haru would object if Hinata was with them.

"G-girlfriend! How mature!" However, as the girl talked to the eager first-year, Kuroo felt his mild irritation decrease. Obviously, she'd noticed his growing annoyance, touching his hand with hers, playing with his fingers lazily on the warm grass as she kept her side of the conversation up. Kuroo decided that he didn't really mind that Hinata was stealing her attention, after all. As long as he still had some of it, he didn't particularly care that she was facing the boy and talking with him eagerly. Those fingers on his told him enough.

* * *

Haru was watching the match with a slight frown. While her primary concern was her own team, she couldn't help rooting for both Fukurodani and Karasuno due to her friendship with many of the members of those teams. The group she was worried about, though, at the moment, was Karasuno. It was like something was going on inside the team which didn't make much sense. Was it just mistakes? Were they trying something new? What was wrong?

"Crows are omnivores, you know?" Nekomata had obviously noticed her worried gaze being directed at the group on the neighboring court.

"Omnivores?" Haru asked, looking back to the coach.

"They will devour anything they can get their beaks on, if need arises." Haru gasped, looking back at the boys. Now that the coach mentioned it, she could see it. Each and every one of them were trying something new. It was still rough around the edges, with a lot of mistakes, but it was definitely evolution.

"But, Tsukishima-kun…" She commented, noticing the way the players swapped out. Nekomata nodded.

"Let's hope he grows a bit hungry, too." Nekomata chuckled, turning back to their own team. "Ah, that was a nice course!" He instantly praised Yamamoto. It was when there was a shout from the nearby court that Haru looked over to Karasuno again. Instantly, she was on her feet, rushing over.

"What happened?" She asked, taking in Hinata and Azumane on the floor.

"They collided," Sugawara told her from the sidelines, both of them running forward. She knelt next to Azumane, quickly assessing him.

"Where does it hurt?" Haru asked, ignoring his reassurances that he was fine. "Where?" She simply repeated, and finally, the wing-spiker gave in, showing her his side. "I'll only take a minute." Haru promised the referee from Ubugawa, as her and Sugawara helped Azumane get his jersey up. She tentatively felt along his ribs with the pads of her fingers, checking for breaks. She noticed him wince in a spot. "There?"

"It's nothing, Sakurano-san," Azumane tried to laugh it off again. "I'm fine." A single glare from her shut him up, though.

"Take a deep breath, tell me if you feel a pinch in that spot," he did, then shook his head. "Slowly twist your torso to each side, again, tell me if there's pain," she placed her hands on his shoulders, helping him through the gentle motion.

"Just the pain from the collision, nothing else," Azumane assured her.

"Cough," Haru instructed, and despite looking confused, he obeyed. "Any pain?"

"Nothing more than what I'm feeling otherwise." He assured her.

"Looks like there are no breaks, you could still have bruised ribs," she said. "I'll catch you after practice and treat that before the bruise sets in." Haru promised, then moved to Hinata who seemed to have dissolved in some kind of an apology noodle on the floor, twisting and bending while crying 'sorry'. "Shōyō, let me take a look at you, too."

"We should get ourselves someone like Haru, too!" The girl heard Nishinoya say loudly while she was checking the small middle blocker for injuries. She grinned at the libero.

"I'm one of a kind, Noya-kun."

* * *

Haru was on her way to the kitchen after taking a quick shower when the practice finished. Luckily, the most they'd had regarding injuries were a couple of jammed fingers and a single rolled ankle, which was quite a feat. She'd checked both Hinata and Azumane once more after they were done with practice and they both seemed fine. So, she was feeling quite good, grinning and humming a familiar salsa tune as she headed to help Shimizu out in the kitchen.

A hand at her elbow, and then another one at her waist, stopped Haru in her tracks, pulling her body back. For a split second, she was terrified. However, she managed to calm herself down by recalling that she was on a camp with people she knew. It was a safe environment, especially with the height and the intimidating demeanors of some of them.

Haru was pulled back into a warm, firm body and the smell or freshness and sandalwood. Instantly, she knew who was the person that had scared the living daylights out of her for a mere second. She took a deep breath, though, enjoying how it felt, filling her lungs like crisp, almost pre-snow air. That's what Kuroo smelled like. Like the air before snow fell.

"You scared me," she pouted while her racing heart attempted to go back to its usual rhythm.

"Sorry," Kuroo whispered into her ear, his lips grazing the shell of it. She knew that he'd felt her shudder against him, as he smirked and then spoke again, those lips touching her ear more than they should've. "Are you busy?"

"I was going to the kitchen to help Shim-"

"Not busy, then," Kuroo decided for the both of them, pulling away from her. Haru felt cold somehow, now that his lanky body wasn't wrapped around her, holding her in its secure embrace. But, she didn't get the chance to feel cold for too long.

Kuroo pulled them into a room she wasn't familiar with, closing the door and gently pushing her against the wall right next to them. Haru looked up, at him, noticing the expression on his face. It was like he was in pain or strained somehow, yet there was a smirk on his lips.

"Are you okay?" She asked tentatively, seeing as his hands were already on her hips, fingers moving around in lazy patterns over her shirt.

"No." Kuroo told her, voice low.

"What's wrong?"

"You."

"Wha-" she began to ask him if she'd done something wrong in their new relationship already, but Kuroo reached up, putting a finger to her lips.

"Shhh," he told her, that finger tracing her bottom lip slowly. "I just need a bit of attention, alright?" Haru nodded shakily. Her fingers were cold as ice and trembling. Her knees didn't seem to want to stay strong or keep her up. "Stop me if I go too far or make you uncomfortable." With another nod, Kuroo lowered his head, his lips replacing his finger.

Gosh, kissing Kuroo was heaven, Haru thought absent-mindedly. It was warm, tender, slow and came with little nips at her bottom lip. She didn't mind the switch between the softness and the tiny bursts of almost pain. In fact, it made her want even more. Haru didn't let her hands to what they usually did, just grab onto his shirt like a lifeline. Instead, she moved her fingers from that spot down his torso, feeling the muscles he'd built up through years of volleyball. Then, her hands circled around to his back and slipped up, nails scratching through his shirt. She reveled in the way he groaned into her mouth at that.

Somewhere between him sneaking a hand under her top, the warm fingers trailing up her back and driving her insane, and her gripping the back of his loose shirt, Kuroo managed to turn their kisses into open mouthed ones. Haru felt incredibly out of control there. She wasn't quite sure where her tongue should go or what it should do and tried to keep it out of the way as much as possible. That made him pull away with a chuckle.

"Stop pulling that tongue back," Kuroo told her, a little breathless. Haru felt her cheeks flame even more, but she recalled how he'd told her to be as honest with him as possible, despite the embarrassment.

"I don't know what to do with it," she giggled, which made him laugh and pull her deeper into what had turned out to be a classroom.

"You're too cute, you know that?" Kuroo asked her, then helped her sit up on one of the desks. Haru looked at him uncertainly, hands at his shoulders. She was completely out of her element. "Don't worry," Kuroo was a lifeline. "I'll teach you." His hands gently pulled her legs apart, stepping forward. "This alright?"

"As long as you don't tell me to strip, I think I'm fine," she answered honestly with a chuckle. Kuroo nodded.

"Sometime in the future, maybe," he cheekily replied, making her smack his chest softly. "But, for now I'm just solving the height issue." He promised and Haru decided that he'd been talking for too long. She kissed him this time, enjoying the way he almost immediately opened his mouth when she nipped at his lip.

He was right, though. The new position gave her much better access, as she was now almost the same height as him. Though, the desk still gave her a few centimeters over him. It was definitely an interesting angle. This time, she didn't let her tongue stay as flat as possible in her mouth. Instead, she did her best to mimic what Kuroo was doing and he groaned, fingers squeezing her thighs gently. She'd done something right. Haru became lost in the slow dance of their tongues and the soft touches on her skin. She couldn't help messing up his hair. Each short break they took in between the hot kisses brough her an inhale of Kuroo's scent.

"Do you have lip-gloss on?" He asked when they took a longer break, foreheads touching to keep them centered.

"Lip balm," Haru whispered back.

"It tastes like almonds."

"It's supposed to." She replied cheekily, which made him kiss her again through a chuckle, this time without as much tongue. It was a loving kiss, she could tell. Gosh, he was as head over heels for her as she was for him. Kuroo's hips came forward, pressing into hers.

"Shit, sorry," he immediately said, when he felt her stiffen in surprise. Kuroo was pulling away from her when Haru gripped his shirt tightly at the shoulders, pulling him back forward. Their eyes locked as his hips came into touch with hers again.

"It's fine," she told him with a smile, quite a bit happy that she could have that effect on him. "Is that because of me?" She needed to know. Kuroo chuckled, shaking his head.

"You really have no idea what you do to me, do you?" He gave her a slow kiss, then pulled back a bit again. "Earlier, on the court, when you were doing your medical thing you pretty much singlehandedly destroyed me." Haru's head tilted to the side.

"Really?"

"Really," he confirmed. "It's irrational, I know," he laughed. "But, I find you very sexy when you get all serious about something."

"Sweet talker," Haru giggled, eagerly accepting the kiss that came her way. This time, her tongue was the one to touch Kuroo's first, rather confidently. It was all fake bravado, though. She was still clueless if what she was doing was right. Though, judging by the way he pressed into her even more, she'd done it correctly. During the next small break they took, Haru couldn't help but ask the question which was plaguing her mind. "Say, what happens if you get hit by a volleyball while having… issues?" Kuroo winced, his head dropping to her shoulder with a chuckle.

"Successful mood killer much?"

"It's bothering me." Kuroo sighed, head coming back up to give her a quick, close lipped peck before he pulled back, but only with a bit of his torso. Those fingers on her thighs couldn't stop moving, it seemed.

"Pain, if you're lucky," he told her. "If not, you'll end up with one broken source of children." Haru balked.

"You can break it?" Kuroo seemed to give up on trying to restore their previous mood, instead answering her barrage of curiosity.

"When it's hard, sure you can." Haru winced. "Yeah, my sentiments exactly." Then, he noticed the curious way she looked down at their joined bodies. "Oh, hell no." Suddenly, Kuroo moved away from her, leaving her feeling quite cold. Her skin tingled where he had been pressed against her.

"C'mon, Kuroo, it's for scientific purposes." The girl hopped from the desk, walking towards him as he backed up.

"No, no," the third-year shook his head. "I'll do tons of stuff you ask me, but this is too much." Then, he laughed. "God, I never thought I'd be telling you to keep your hands outta my pants."

"Then don't." Haru gave him an innocent smile. "Don't worry, I won't break it."

"You can't play with it!" Kuroo protested, going for the door. She opened her mouth to say something, when he cut her off. "And telling me you'll be gentle won't work either!"

"C'mon Kuroo!" She advanced on him, which made the third-year grab the door and open it violently, startling the two people standing in front. Kenma and Akari seemed to have had a similar idea as Kuroo had previously had.

"Move, move, move!" Kuroo begged almost and the two parted, letting him dash past them. Haru was hot on his heels. Their disheveled hair and red cheeks didn't escape the other pair.

"Just let me test it!" Kenma and Akari heard Haru yell. "I'll be gentle!" They shared a look of complete confusion.

"Haru, I'm not letting you break my pride and joy you evil creature!" That shout made the duo in front of the classroom wince. But, they couldn't hear the rest as Haru gave chase after a quite fast Kuroo.

"She's scary…" Kenma whispered after a second, his face in an interesting expression. Akari laughed, taking his hand again and leading him away from the empty classroom and towards the place he'd shown her as their temporary rooms.

"Trust Haru to get him running even before they could properly start dating!" The girl laughed. Kenma nodded, then shook his head.

"He deserves it, for all the stupid stuff he's been pulling with her." Akari sagely nodded at that.

"When you think about it, they're perfect for each other," Kenma glanced at her with curiosity. "He's a total scheming tease, Master of Provocation and she's the person who won't back down from his challenge and is totally blunt about the weirdest things."

"She's also fixated on testing if he can break, apparently," the boy offered her a small smile, which made her burst out laughing.

"I'd never try to see if you can break a penis." Akari shrugged. "That's why we're the sane people here." She told him with a giggle.

"Can you do my hair again?"

"Gosh, just when I called us sane," Akari sighed, but accepted the comb he gave her when they entered the classroom with numerous futons on the floor. "Read the atmosphere, Kenma."

"I don't particularly care about the atmosphere…" He murmured, taking out his PSP and settling in front of Akari on a futon, leaning back so that she could play with his hair and get all the tangles and knots out. She did it much better than he did, after all.

"Sure you don't." Akari told him knowingly, kissing his hair softly as the opening credits of the game came up on the screen. Then, she buried her fingers into his hair, making Kenma sigh in content.

* * *

 **I had too much fun with this chapter xD Hope it makes you laugh, as well!**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **YamamotoIsLife:  
Hey there! Welcome to reviews and thanks so much for leaving me some feedback xD It made me so happy!  
Thanks for all the praise xD I'm glad that you like my writing style xD Ummmm the trick is, I think, in planning it out? I have a separate document with chapter by chapter plans :D I try to keep a bit of fun for the Omakes all the time :D They're the scenes I think up as I'm writing the chapter and then add at the ending xD  
Hahahahhaha Yaku and Haru crack me up xD And Yamamoto is super cool! I'm glad that I managed to do him justice xD  
My updates… are… urgh… yeah not really scheduled xD I'm mostly updating every two or three days right now, but that really depends… I'm kind of coping with my exams by speed-writing this, so it's quick updates for now… Every two-three days should work xD Last week I was doing every day updates xD I think I wrote like 20+ chapters in a month xD Sorry, I write a lot when I'm stressed hahhahah  
Regarding the 'sempai' or 'senpai' dilemma, they're interchangeable, actually. I think I went with 'senpai' in the beginning then 'sempai' later on, but not sure xD  
As for 12 ways, they're pretty much AU xD I was going to have them be a part of my timeline, but then decided against it… After all, in 12 ways Haru and Kuroo don't get together until his graduation and I was a bit afraid that I'd get lynched if I didn't get them to have some time together during the fic itself xD On the other hand, I also wanted to write some spicy scenes! Though, I do make some random references to 12 ways in this fic. But, feel free to consider them stand-alone :D  
Hmmmm I never went back to scour for it, I must admit… I remember that it was on AO3, though it wasn't that well-written… I'll look for it and let you know :D  
I'm so happy that you're enjoying this fic! Hope to hear from you again :D Cheers!  
P.S.: Haru's dad is gold xD**

 **Rosto'sGirl:  
Thanks so much for the comment!  
Finally, I know xD I've stopped teasing xD Well… maybe? I'm planning to write at least up to the end of the year, but we'll see :D Depends on demand hahahha  
I'm glad that you had fun reading my interpretation of Kuroo and I'm happy that you like Haru! I'm going to do my best to keep it fun still :D  
Best!**

* * *

 **Omake:**

"Why are you running?" Haru was breathing hard, standing on one side of the cafeteria table, looking at Kuroo who seemed ready to bolt.

"Because you're chasing me!" He yelled back and moved to the left when she went right. Then, they stopped, staring at each other for a moment.

"I'll give you a kiss?"

"No!" Kuroo went right when she went left. "You can't bribe me into this!" Finally, the girl seemed to make up her mind, stepping on the bench quickly and sliding across the cafeteria table towards him. "Shit!" Kuroo ran again, eyes wide.

Shimizu and Yachi stood behind the counter, watching the scene, their eyes following the pair who kept running around the cafeteria tables, both quite desperate.

"What… are they doing?" The first-year asked, tilting her head. Shimizu shook hers.

"Some kind of weird foreplay," she sighed at the pair who kept screaming at each other. "Don't look, Hitoka."

"Y-yes!" The girl followed the older manager into the back of the kitchen.

"I'm not letting you touch my dick with evil intentions!" Kuroo's yell made the first-year's face go as red as a tomato. Nekoma is… intense, she decided.

* * *

 **That's all for now, folks!**


	28. The monthly curse

**This is a chapter of me being purely selfish. I'm sorry. Enjoy the fluff. Alternate title: The Author gives you enough sugary TetsuHaru fluff for you to get cavities. I've been wanting to write this one for ages, though xD Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 28: The monthly curse**

Saying goodbye to the group of volleyball players, even for a week, was quite bittersweet. Within the span of a few days Haru had come to love each and every one of them almost like family. She found herself tearing up as Hinata hugged her multiple times, begging to exchange numbers. Somehow, she found her way into the awaiting arms of Bokuto next, who picked her up and squeezed her gently, swaying her side to side, much to Kuroo's displeasure.

"Put her down, you're gonna squeeze the life out of her," the captain told the Fukurodani ace. "I think I can see her soul leaving her body." Bokuto immediately did, checking her over in panic.

"Did I squeeze you too hard, Harucchi?" Akari's nickname seemed to have caught on. The girl shook her head as the odd ace apologized numerous times.

"Jealous idiot," Haru slapped Kuroo's passing back softly, making him chuckle coyly at Bokuto, which in turn made the ace explode at the Nekoma captain.

"Haru-chan!" The next two people to grab her were Noya and Tanaka. They'd seen Hinata hugging her and had decided to go in for the same treatment. Haru ended up trapped in between hugging one, then the other, then oddly Yamamoto, then the first one again. "We will see you next week, beautiful Goddess!"

"I will see you at school, wonderful exotic Goddess!" Yamamoto joined in, all three of them crying for some reason. All Haru could do was smile at their odd antics, giving them even more hugs. They seemed more than happy about that.

"Be careful, Sakurano," Shimizu told her from her spot next to the Karasuno van. "You give them a small taste and they won't leave you alone. Ever." Haru laughed at that, leaving the boys to join the two female managers instead.

"That's alright," she grinned at them. "I can handle it." Hitoka looked up, jumping when she noticed that the older girl had joined them.

"S-she you nexsht week, sempai!" Haru smiled at the nervous first-year, reaching over to ruffle her hair.

"Don't let the boys chase you away, Hitoka-chan!" She encouraged. "They might be overbearing at times, but they're all good boys." Hitoka smiled back at her, seeming to relax a tad. "Besides, if they give you trouble, I'll spank them!"

"Please do!" Noya, Tanaka and Yamamoto were on a roll, much to Haru's amusement and Hitoka's shock.

* * *

Haru groaned after she woke up, feeling the telltale pain in her stomach. It was there. It had come. The abomination of the female gender. The girl reached over to her nightstand and grabbed her cellphone, texting Akari that she wouldn't come to school that day, telling her the reason. Then, without waiting for the reply, she headed to the bathroom to take care of the battlefield in her body.

Breakfast wasn't a cheery meal with music that morning. It was heating up whatever leftovers she had in her fridge in order to be able to take the pain meds that would lessen her anguish. Then, Haru dragged herself back upstairs. She had to wash out her sheets and pajamas by hand before she tossed them into the laundry. With strength that she didn't think anyone in this day and age should need to have, Haru forced herself to do so. Then, she tossed fresh sheets onto her bed haphazardly, pulling on a shirt and socks only, before crawling back into bed, curling into a ball. The medicine she'd taken hadn't started working yet and she felt like she would die. Her phone rang.

"Harucchi, do you need anything?" Akari didn't wait for her to say her hellos before she spoke.

"A change of gender?" Haru asked dejectedly.

"Humor is a good sign," Akari laughed. Haru could tell that she was walking by the breathlessness in her voice. "Don't worry about school, I'll take notes and get them to you today. Also, ping me if you see you do need something. Get drugged up and sleep it off!" And the girl hung up. Haru, oddly enough, planned to follow that advice to a T. She turned over to her side in her bed and promptly went back to sleep, despite the discomfort in her guts.

She wasn't sure how long she slept for. When she woke up it was late, though. Haru didn't glance at her phone, but went straight to the bathroom, checking the situation in her pants. It was like the battle of Sekigahara. She groaned, reaching for the cabinet under her sink and pulling out more pads. She found a single packet there, though, with only one inside. With a groan, she changed the current one, washing her hands and walking back to her bed hunched over.

Haru snuggled back into her warm sheets and grabbed her phone, texting Akari to pick up some pads and something for the pain on her way over. Her friend called her back quickly, though.

"Haru?" She called out as soon as the line got picked up. "Feeling any better?"

"Like Ieyasu."

"Why do you always resort to your worst subject when in pain?" Akari giggled, then let out a strange strangled sound, followed by a light slap on her end of the line. "Hang on," Haru swore she heard her whisper through her haze of pain and drug-induced mist.

"You okay, Akari?"

"Oh, yeah, yeah, just peachy," then there was shushing and scolding, "Actually, Kuroo-sempai asked to bring the notes to you today after practice. So, you'll have to call him to tell him what to pick up. He was worried sick when I told him you weren't feeling well, you know?"

"You let him take the notes?!" Haru complained, her face flushing. She couldn't imagine dealing with Kuroo while on her monthly problem. It would be hell.

"Yeah, he just wanted to see you and make sure you were alright," there was another strangled sound and more scolding. Haru was sure she heard Akari say Kenma's name and everything became clear to her. They were fooling around while on the line with her. "Give him a chance, Harucchi."

"Sure, thanks Akari," the girl groaned, then curled even more into herself. "I'll call him. Bye."

"Bye, bye!" And the line cut off. Haru felt evil, wanting to make sure that Kenma knew that she _knew_ what he'd been doing while she was on the phone with Akari and quickly texted him. Then, she scrolled through her contacts, finding Kuroo's name. She clicked on it, apprehension building up in her stomach next to the pain.

"Haru?" Kuroo picked up after a few rings, sounding a bit winded. "How are you feeling? Akari told me you were sick, I'm on my way to your place now. I'm sorry I didn't come earlier, I was dealing with Kinoshita." Haru wondered how to break the situation to him, then decided to be as blunt as possible. It seemed to bring the best results with the third-year.

"Kuroo, um," he hummed, asking her to continue. "Can you stop by the pharmacy on your way here? I'll give you the money when you come over, of course. I just need some stuff."

"Oh, sure, what do you need?" Stage one was clear. He seemed almost eager to do it, in fact. "Something for fever?"

"No, well, um, for pain," Haru stumbled over the words. "Like, ibuprofen or loxoprofen." She heard him go 'aah' in understanding instantly. God, she was glad that he was such a biology nerd. At least he caught on quick.

"Need some chocolate, as well?" He asked in a gentle tone.

"Sure, but, I need pads." She was blushing like hell, she was certain. It was beyond embarrassing. She'd just started officially dating him and was immediately asking him to go and get her some pads. God, that was mortifying.

"Oh, okay," he seemed… alright with it? "Do you have a brand or size preference?" And, he was rather knowledgeable, too. Through the haze of the pain medications Haru forced herself to think and give him further instructions.

"I'm not particular about the brand, but one package of the day ones and one of the night ones would be great," she instructed, amazed at how well her brain was working. "With wings."

"Alright, I'll get them," Kuroo reassured her. "Do you want to toss me your key through the window so you don't have to walk downstairs?" What in the world had she done to deserve him? He was too good for her.

"My key is in the door," she told him. "I'll go open the door in a bit."

"Okay, I should be there in about ten to fifteen," Kuroo said and then hung up with a short see you soon. Haru ended up lying in her bed for the next few minutes, though, unable to move. Then, she finally forced her legs to work and pulled herself up. The walk down the stairs was a gruesome trip of stopping and groaning. She finally managed to reach the front door and unlock it before looking up the stairs again.

"To hell with it," she murmured to herself, dragging her limp body into the living room instead and curling up on a couch. Despite the warm summer weather, she felt cold somehow, but couldn't force herself to go and grab a blanket. Her phone rang after some time, Kuroo's name appearing on the screen. Instead of picking up, she chose to yell. "It's open!" The sound of the front door opening could be heard just as her phone stopped blaring.

"You look dead," Kuroo told her, coming up to the back of the couch with a small, almost pitying grin. He seemed to have stopped by his house, as he was out of his uniform.

"Just what a girl wants to hear," Haru groaned up at him with a glare. Kuroo put his hands up in a defensive motion, despite the bags around the wrists.

"Don't kill the messenger," he chuckled, then walked around the couch. "C'mon, let's get you upstairs." Haru glared again, in too much pain to be self-conscious about her choice of attire.

"Don't you think I'd have gone upstairs if I could've already?" She didn't want to be so rude. He was doing her a favor, after all. He didn't need to be there and he certainly could've denied her request of going to the store for her. Yet, she couldn't stop her irritation from flowing over, despite being grateful. The curse of hormones. Kuroo seemed to brush it off, though, smiling at her as he bent down.

"That's why you have me, silly," he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, the girl sighing at the warm contact. Then, he placed the bags down next to the couch and gently, as if not to jostle her too much, wriggled his arms under her body. Haru felt weightless for a second, before she was enveloped in his warm embrace. Then, the embarrassment set in.

"A-ah, you don't need to- I can walk on my own…" She tried to reason with the third-year, but he shook his head.

"You look like you're about to either die or puke, and I'm not really eager to see either," Kuroo chuckled, going up the stairs and towards her room like he was in his own house. "Just let me take care of you, alright control freak?" Haru frowned, but she didn't have the energy to fight back. Instead, she chose to snuggle into his warm neck, breathing in the fresh scent of his aftershave.

"Okay," she agreed, her mood swinging a full hundred and eighty once more. Kuroo brushed it off, yet again, instead focusing on his task. He placed her on her bed, carefully tucking her in and then ruffling her messy curls.

"I'll be right back," and he was gone. Haru felt out of her element, her phone still downstairs. She wasn't sure if she drifted off or not, but she opened her eyes to see Kuroo opening her room door with his elbow and closing it with his foot, hands full. "Can you sit up?"

"I think so," Haru looked away from him in order to force her noodle-like arms to push her up, but failed. She heard him hold in his laugh and come over once he'd placed the items from his hands on her desk and nightstand.

"Here, let me," and then he pulled her up in a seated position gently, settling behind her and drawing her into his arms. Kuroo's legs joined hers under the covers, on each side of her body, enveloping her in his body heat and the fresh sandalwood scent. Haru relaxed back into his chest with a content sigh. He was a human heater. "Do you feel up to eating a little bit? You can't take loxoprofen on an empty stomach."

"Just a little," she hoped that she could keep whatever food he'd brought up down, as she was feeling like she was going to hurl despite the dull ache of hunger in her stomach.

"Okay," Kuroo reached over, the muscles against her back moving with the motion. It made her feel hot all over in a telltale way. Haru cursed her hormones for the tenth time that day. "I'm not as good as you, but I can put together a mean chicken broth." The smell of it made a weird reaction in her body. Haru felt like she would either hurl or die to eat it.

"Thanks," she whispered to him, taking the bowl from his hands, fingers brushing. She felt numb, but she could still feel the heat of the porcelain under her skin. It was nice. Taking a deep breath and smelling the comforting food that made her flash back to all the times she'd been sick as a child, she forwent the spoon and chose to sip it instead. "Really, thanks." Her brain seemed to catch up with the fact that Kuroo had just gone to buy her pads, and on top of that had cooked for her.

"My pleasure," the third-year grinned from behind her, his hands working on braiding her hair into a single long fishtail. "I'm glad that I finally have the chance to take care of you, considering how you're always the one to be making sure we're all in top form."

"But, it's my job to do that." Haru replied with a frown, glancing back at the boy. He had a peculiar expression on his face. It was somewhere between content and a smile, warming her up inside, more than the soup had.

"But, I also want to take care of you sometimes," that made her blush and look down into the half-empty bowl. "Eat, eat." Kuroo encouraged, his arms circling her gently as she complied. When Haru was done, her full stomach instantly making her feel a bit better, Kuroo handed her the medicine and a glass of water from the nightstand. Then, he grabbed something else from there and Haru was honestly eager to see what other items he'd gotten. He gave her a chocolate bar, without any additions of fruits and flavors, but only dark cacao.

"Why did you-"

"Dark chocolate has magnesium, potassium and iron," Kuroo explained, tucking a stray lock behind her ear. "They help to relax muscles and balance out the increased production of estrogen and progesterone. But, this is just one theory," Haru couldn't help watching his face as he worked to open a packet of something else in his hands. "The female body is quite the biological mystery, still." Kuroo looked up, noticing her watching him. "What?"

"You never cease to amaze me," Haru smiled, making him blush and fumble with the packet even more, backtracking. However, she leaned in, kissing him on the mouth despite the awkward angle and the pain in her abdomen. His lips were familiar already, moving against her own gently and slowly, despite her trying to rush the kiss into something more heated. Curse her hormones. By the way he hugged her, not touching her in the intimate way she was used to him doing, Haru could tell that Kuroo wouldn't let her get her way. She gave up, opting to simply enjoy the slow kiss instead.

"I quite like this Haru on whacky hormones," Kuroo told her with a chuckle when they finally separated, a little breathless. She grinned, pecked his lips, and then snuggled into his chest not bothering to press her back against his front that time. Instead, in her sideways position which she'd moved to in order to kiss him better, she just snuggled as close as she could to the human heater. "Here you go," Kuroo made her look to his hands, where he'd finally opened the packet he'd had before. It was a kairo heat pack, which made her want to kiss him yet again.

"You're amazing," Haru told him, reaching one hand up, but her numb fingers ended up missing the pack. Kuroo pulled her arm back under the covers, intertwining their fingers, then pulled the pack under the blanket, then under her shirt, the skin on skin contact on her stomach making it do a few flips. Curse those hormones. The warmth of the pack on her skin was pleasant, though, and Kuroo's hand holding it in place even more so. Haru sighed in content. "You're perfect boyfriend material." The third-year laughed at that, before moving the heat pack over her shirt as it warmed up even more.

"I am, aren't I?" He cheekily told her. "I'm just perfect, what can I say?"

"Except for the ego," Haru teased, the medicine finally taking effect.

"Shut up and eat your chocolate, woman." Kuroo grumbled.

* * *

Haru woke up in a haze. She could instantly tell that she'd taken a nap and not had a good night's rest. The next realization was that her stomach wasn't hurting as badly as it had been before. The final thing that popped up in her misty brain was the fact that she was _hot_. So, naturally, she dealt with the last issue first, kicking the covers off herself. That made her surprisingly hard pillow shift, hopping up with a groan. Then, pain exploded in Haru's head.

"Ouch, damn," Kuroo groaned from under her, shifting to rub his sore forehead with one hand. "Sorry," he told her in a very husky tone. They were still oddly entangled on her bed, but they had switched their positions around, so that they were aligned, instead of her legs being tossed over one of his thighs to the side.

"That was my bad," Haru laughed, feeling much better. "Brain hadn't caught up with the reality and I reacted on instinct." She sighed, relaxing back into his arms when he hugged her to him.

"Feeling any better?" Kuroo pressed a kiss to the side of her head where they'd bonked their skulls together.

"Much," Haru felt good. She actually felt _good_ on the first day of her period. It was amazing. "I need to move a bit, though. Do you want to watch something downstairs?" Kuroo seemed to consider it for a moment, then nodded.

"I just need to text my mom that I'll stay over."

"Okay," despite saying that, however, Haru didn't move from her position in his arms.

"Weren't we going downstairs?" Kuroo asked after a few minutes of the girl just snuggling into his embrace.

"In a bit." She whispered back.

"Alright," Kuroo smiled to himself, head falling back onto her pillows as he drew her in even closer, if that was possible.

* * *

"Chips?"

"There's a snack drawer to the right of the fridge, at the bottom."

"Oya, oya, Pringles!"

"Should be some spicy wheat crackers, too."

"Why does it always have to be spicy with you?"

"I don't see you complaining when it's spicy."

"Only when it _tastes_ spicy."

"That's what she said."

"That doesn't even make sense."

"Cut me some slack, I'm high on loxoprofen."

"Sixty milligrams is not high."

"Losing blood here, too."

"Okay, I concede, have your win of banter, Miss-I'm-Losing-Blood," Kuroo walked back into the living room, hands full of snacks, smirking coyly at the girl in front of the TV. Haru glared back at him half-heartedly, picking through the numerous movies the Sakurano family owned.

"Are you going to whine if I pick a girly movie?" She switched topics easily, looking back to the selection. Kuroo plopped down on the couch, making himself comfortable.

"Depends on the girliness of the movie." He shrugged, opening different bags of snacks and pouring them carefully into bowls. He didn't want to make a mess, as he'd already seen how Haru was with crumbs. Very similar to himself, she hated them. Especially stepping on them.

"RED?" Haru asked, picking out the CD and showing the cover to him. Kuroo squinted from the couch. With a giggle, the girl got up and walked over, giving him the case.

"This… doesn't seem that girly," he frowned at it, then looked up at her, seeing her in a completely new light. "Is guns and airplanes girly to you?"

"It's a comfort movie, alright?" Haru huffed, reaching for the CD and tugging it, but Kuroo tugged it back.

"No, no, you have me curious now," he didn't let her take it. "Is it American? It looks American."

"It's American," Haru confirmed, making him groan.

"I hope it has subtitles." He finally let her take the CD and she bounded off to the TV, feeding it into the player and not bothering to put the mess she'd made away.

"It does, don't worry slacker," Haru chided. "You _do_ know that if you just try to pay more attention and _listen_ to the language you will improve faster?" She walked back, grabbing a bag of spicy crackers on her way to the couch.

"Sure, sensei," Kuroo blew her a raspberry and spread his legs to that she could sit in between them.

"No, I wanna be the big spoon," Haru pouted, still standing.

"But, I'm taller?" Kuroo complained. While he could see the perks of giving up his position of a big spoon, he also didn't want to be unable to see her while watching the movie. He couldn't resist playing with her hair either, and he wasn't ready to give that up.

"But, I want to be the big spoon," Haru pouted again.

"No, I want to."

"But, you're always the big spoon."

"Okay," Kuroo looked at her, completely serious. "Let's settle this like true warriors."

"Janken?" Haru eagerly suggested.

"Janken," Kuroo agreed. They squared off for a split second before the volleyball captain led the game. "Starting with rock!" Both papers. "Janken pon!" Two rocks. "It seems like a tie!" Two rocks. "It seems like a tie!" Another set of papers.

"It seems like a tie!" Haru joined in on the next verse, putting down paper while Kuroo had rock. "My win! I'm the big spoon!" She cheered instantly, motioning for him to move forward on the couch.

"I can't believe I lost," Kuroo whined, but still moved forward on the couch, letting the girl sit behind him. Then, he leaned back, instantly seeing the perks of the new position. If he extended his long legs under the coffee table just right, he didn't have to feel like he was sitting in a box. And, to top it off, his head was nestled right at Haru's chest, making it more than a good position. "Oh, I don't mind that I lost actually." He smirked, looking up at her, watching the blush spread across her face.

"I changed my mind, you be the big spoon," she started pushing him, but Kuroo would have none of it, centering himself like he was going to receive a ball. He was a rock that she couldn't move. "Kuroo!"

"Haru!" A moment of pushing, tugging and pulling passed, before the girl finally gave up. "Can you start the movie now that this is settled?" With a huff, the girl pressed play. However, she couldn't help but still be happy with her position. It allowed her to mess with Kuroo's hair with the hand that wasn't picking crackers out of the joined bowl, which the third-year seemed to be avoiding with passion.

"Hey, Kuroo," Haru spoke as the opening credits rolled.

"Hmm?"

"How're you so good at this?" The question had been on her mind since he'd accepted to go buy pads for her without any protest or embarrassment.

"Janken?" Haru laughed at that.

"No, you suck at janken," she told him, making him huff childishly at her. "I mean, dealing with… you know…" He seemed to catch on quickly.

"I live only with my mom, remember?" He gave her a bright smile from his spot between her legs. And, with the way his eyes looked at her so openly, Haru couldn't help but feel utterly and completely loved.

"I see…" she replied, the whole thing making more sense. She bent down, pressing a kiss just below his ear, which made him shiver. "Thanks, for everything." She meant more than just that day, and by the way Kuroo squeezed her thigh gently, he knew it, too.

"Anytime."

* * *

 **I'm sorry that this chapter came so late, my silly brain decided to make me watch Shokugeki no Souma and then insisted that I write something for Kuga, because there's like 0 stuff in the fandom for him and he** _ **needs**_ **more love. I'm writing drabbles for him now xD Anyways, hope yall enjoyed the chapter!**

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 **Short glossary of the odd words I used here:**

 **the battle of Sekigahara – One of the bloodiest samurai battles in history  
(Tokugawa) Ieyasu – The person who led the battle of Sekigahara, and won  
Kairo heat packs – an amazing invention, really popular in Japan; heat packs of all sized that go hot after you shake them. Can heat up up to 40C or so  
Janken – rock paper scissors, a popular dispute solver all across the world (I translated the Japanese verse into English, so it seems a bit unnatural)**

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 **Reviews:**

 **Potato-Faye:  
Thanks for the review! What can I say, I live to amuse you guys? xD I had too much fun writing these last two chapters xD**

 **Valen Goncalvez:  
Thanks for the comment!  
I'm glad that you enjoyed that bit xD I had too much fun writing it xD I swear I was laughing my arse off in a buss while I typed it xD**

 **Rosto'sGirl:  
Thanks so much for the review!  
I'm glad that you liked my balance act with the sweet, spice and everything (not) nice? xD TetsuHaru dynamics are like, one of my favorite things to write, I swear xD I've got this urge to write so much about them xD Hope you enjoyed this fluffy chapter xD  
KenAri is **_**the**_ **ship. I'm going with it shamelessly xD  
Best to you!**

 **Bookdragonslayer:  
Thanks for the comment!  
I'm glad that you enjoyed that! I had a blast writing both the spicy bits and the funny bits xD I couldn't resist the humor, though hahahhaha**

 **hibi-no-baka:  
Awwww thanks so much! Both for the review and for the nature of it! Yall make me so happy with feedback :D**

* * *

 **Omake:**

Akari sighed as Kenma's hands went under her shirt, unhooking her bra with ease. He'd gotten too good at that. It seemed that it was all just levels to him. Passing levels and gaining skills he used expertly on the next one. She reached up, pulling him in for an open-mouthed kiss unashamedly. He'd gotten much better at that, too. Now, all of his kisses were executed with precision and intent, making her tingle all over in excitement as to what he would learn how to do next.

He phone buzzed in her pocket, breaking the moment.

"Leave it," Kenma whispered, his mouth trailing from hers to her neck, hands going up her stomach and pulling the bra off her shoulders, despite her shirt still being on.

"It could be Haru," Akari said in a strangled tone, interrupted by a gasp as Kenma's fingers skimmed over the underside of her breasts. He'd quickly learned where she was sensitive and what got her excited. "She's not feeling well."

Despite his silence, Akari knew that he protested the fact that she took out her phone from her pocket, looking at the text. It was Haru, asking her to pick up pads for her on her way to bring the notes. Akari let out a gasp as teeth pulled on the most sensitive part of her chest through the shirt.

"Is it Haru?" Kenma asked, those cat eyes looking at her, analyzing, from his place above her.

"Mhm," Akari told him. "I'll call her real quick." Kenma sighed, letting the girl sit up and dial the number. As they talked, though, he got bored and decided to urge Akari to hurry up and finish so that he could get back to his game. He scooched forward, legs circling around the girl at the edge of his bed, and kissed her neck, enjoying the sigh she gave. She scolded him, but Kenma wouldn't be deterred. His hand went around Akari's waist, before vanishing into her skirt and underwear. At that, she gasped. Then, she moved the phone to press it to her chest and muffle the scolding.

"Kenma, not there while I'm on the phone," she gave him a half-hearted glare and he knew that he was clear to continue, despite her protests. "I'll be just a second." As she continued to talk to her friend, Kenma continued to ask for attention. He kissed her neck, shamelessly leaving a hickey, while his fingers never kept still. They made her gasp and try to keep her voice steady while talking to Haru. Finally, after what seemed like an hour to him, she hung up, tossing her phone onto the floor, next to their forgotten homework.

"You're in big trouble, mister." Akari looked at him with that coy glare he'd come to love, as it always promised something more than just trouble.

"Am I?" Kenma asked with a small smirk.

" _Big_ trouble." She told him. Then, his own phone buzzed and he groaned, taking it out. It was Haru.

 _Please refrain from doing indecent stuff while I'm on the phone with Akari. I_ know _you were doing stuff. Next time I'll use it as blackmail._

The two huddled, looking at the message, then burst out laughing. Soon enough, though, Kenma's phone joined Akari's on their forgotten textbooks and they returned to more pressing matters.

* * *

 **That's all folks!**


	29. This is why we can't have anything nice…

**Hello and hi to all of you who are still reading and those who are new to this story! I've noticed a lot of interest since the new Haikyuu anime came out and it's making me giddy! I hope you lot will keep enjoying all the drama I make xD For all those who are new, also, if you want to check out the first story I wrote about TetsuHaru, they're the drabbles called 12 ways, in case you didn't know that they exist :P**

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 **On the other note, I hope you're all safe during this pandemic! Please, be responsible and don't get sick. Lots of love!**

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 **Big thanks to everyone who's reviewed and pushed me to update, and especially to AmIValid2 for keeping my head in the game xD Also, if you're looking for yet another Kuroo/OC, be sure to check out her story Frown, it's super sweet! Unlike mine which is full of teenage angst xD**

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 **One question for you lot: It's been brought to my attention that my chapters are too long for readers, so, I'll be reassessing length and switching it according to the poll results, it's on my profile, so be sure to vote!**

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 **Without further ado,**

 **Chapter 29: This is why we can't have anything nice…**

Tetsurō woke up to his alarm, as always, turning in bed and attempting to snooze the damn thing with one arm before he was completely out of the land of dreams. He managed to maneuver his fingers and press something which stopped the blaring, snuggling back into his pillows. Then, a thought came to him and he was instantly awake.

He turned to his side, staring at his chair-of-not-so-dirty-clothes for a moment. Then, a wide grin spread across his face and a certain giddiness he was unable to explain or snuff came up in his chest, making him chuckle to himself. The volleyball captain jumped up and off his bed, heading for the shower eagerly.

Tetsurō was always quick to go through his morning routine, something about years of sharing the showers with a team at the local gym, and he was ready in record time. As he was tying the tie of his high school uniform, his alarm decided to give him yet another notification that he should be getting up. Tetsurō grabbed the phone, turned the buzzing menace off and checked the time. He still had just enough to grab Kenma and head for Haru's stop to meet the girl, as had become their usual routine since she'd joined the team as their manager.

The teen rushed downstairs, his book bag packed and the summer blazer of his uniform over his arm. He tossed them both on a chair in the kitchen, rushing to make the coffee for his mother and get started on breakfast. Though, when he opened the fridge, he found the leftovers from the meal he and Haru had prepared the previous night at her place. Eggs with sofrito, black beans, and rice. It wasn't what he would usually eat for breakfast, but it was delicious, when one used spice in moderation, like the girl had obliged for the sake of his tongue. He heated it up in the microwave and served on two plates, just in time.

"Is there any coffee?" his mother entered the kitchen in her nightgown and a silk robe, black hair as messy as his usually was.

"In the coffee maker," Tetsurō told her, then slid a plate down the table to her usual seat. "And here's some breakfast." As he was digging into his meal, the woman joined him at the table with a huge mug of hot coffee, black, no sugar.

"When'd you become a chef?" she asked curiously, poking the meal with her chopsticks.

"Haru and I were cooking last night," Tetsurō shrugged through his food. "I don't know why, but she always cooks."

"She's domesticating you, I like it," Junko gave him a sly smile, very similar to the one he had on his face while thinking up some tasteful meddling.

"Please," Tetsurō groaned, finishing the food and getting up. "She likes to cook, not me," he added.

"Sure, you tell yourself that," Junko giggled. "Next thing you know, you'll be dancing salsa and talking Spanish, too." Tetsurō blushed furiously, swearing to himself that he'd never, _ever_ let his mother find out that he _was_ , in fact, already dancing salsa.

"I'll study for exams after school, so I'm not sure when I'll get home," he told the woman instead, putting on the top of his uniform and grabbing his book bag.

"Just text me so I know you're safe and alive," the woman waved him off, and Tetsurō was out of the door, rushing three houses down to grab his, undoubtedly still asleep, friend.

* * *

The train ride to school was as boring as usual, the normal mundane routine for Tetsurō. Though, he couldn't stop the giddiness in his chest when the specific stop was called out. Some people left the train, others boarded, among them a certain dark-haired girl.

"Morning," he greeted her immediately, getting her attention. Haru walked over, a little sleepy-looking, but much more functional than Kenma. The pudding-head was fast asleep on Tetsurō's shoulder, after all.

"Hey," she said, plopping down in the free seat on Kenma's other side, leaning onto the boy for some much-needed rest.

"Long night?" Tetsurō asked with a smirk, to which the girl simply grunted, not up for talking yet. "Couldn't sleep cause you were thinking of me?"

"As if she'd be thinking about you," Kenma's sleepy voice commented, before Haru could. The girl just chuckled, snuggling deeper into the setter's shoulder. For once, Tetsurō wished that he didn't have to take his friend to school and that he could spend that time, a mere thirty minutes, alone with his girlfriend. Yes, his _girlfriend_. Because he now had one. _He_ was Haru's boyfriend. And she was _his_ girlfriend. They were in a _relationship_. A silly smile stretched across his face before he could help it.

"What do you mean dungeon three can give you epic items?" Apparently, he'd been in his head for a moment too long. "I thought it could only give you magical?"

"No, but you need to use specific gear," Kenma replied, now off of his friend's shoulder and with his cellphone in hand. Haru bent over closer to the boy, watching the screen as he demonstrated. "If you use the Tears of Light and equip the Forest's Blessing, you can get epics. It's because this is a Nature dungeon."

"Oh, I get it!" Haru nodded, taking out her own cellphone. "I skimmed through the talking section when they mentioned that, I guess. It's to do with the area, right?" Kenma nodded and Tetsurō couldn't help but watch them with wide eyes.

"More importantly," the captain piped up, attempting to get attention from the two. "Did you think of a way to improve Lev's cross?" he asked the girl directly, hoping that she would turn off the damned game and look at him.

"Mhm, I'll show you when we get to the gym and everyone's there," Haru told him, but her eyes didn't rise from the game. "Wait, how do you get past this boss? I can't beat the floor and I've been trying for a week."

"You just need to-" Tetsurō tuned out Kenma's reply, finally succumbing to his instinct to sulk in his seat. This was definitely _not_ how he'd planned to spend his morning with his _girlfriend._

* * *

"Akari, come here," Haru grabbed her friend's hand, pulling her away from classroom 2-3 and down the corridor of the high school.

"Wha- but, Harucchi!" Akari whined, trudging behind the taller girl with a pout, her lunch in hand. "I wanted to eat with Kenma today." Haru didn't look back, though. She knew that if she did, Akari's infamous puppy dog eyes would ruin her resolve.

"Look, you can go be Kenma's girlfriend later," she said, taking the route straight to the roof, looking warily around each corner before dashing the longer lengths of the corridor. "Now, I need my best friend."

"Fine," Akari grumbled, giving up. The two girls reached the roof quickly, opening the door from the inside and jamming it with the piece of wood that the seniors had brought last year, when vice-principal Kinoshita had decided to make that entrance self-lockable. "Scram!" Akari waved at the couple of first-year girls who were giggling by the railing, making them rush out the door, leaving the roof empty for the two friends. "So, what's the issue?" she asked, plopping down to the floor with a huff, not bothering to smooth her skirt before she did it.

"Sec," Haru said, texting quickly, and then also sat down, opening her lunch. She placed her phone facedown next to the bento, putting it on silent. "I told Ikki where we are, in case he wants to join." Akari gave her friend a pointed look and Haru sighed, nodding to herself, as if gathering courage. "It's awkward," she finally said.

"What is?" Akari shot back, already halfway through her rice.

"Me, Kuroo, me and Kuroo, Kuro and I," Haru's hands were all over the place while she was talking. "We're awkward. I'm awkward. He's awkward. It's weird. This is weird. It's a mess." The girl finally managed to halt her word-vomit, looking up from her lap to find Akari mid-bite, frozen, with a raised eyebrow. Slowly, the girl placed down her food with a sigh.

"I always knew, you know," she said, shaking her head.

"Knew what?" Haru's eyebrows were furrowed. She was hoping for some kind of divine wisdom.

"You are one of _those_ girls," Akari nodded sagely.

"What girls?"

"Those who don't have a honeymoon phase."

"The _what_?"

"Honeymoon phase," Akari nodded, pushing her lunch aside and scooching closer to her friend, gently grasping her hands. "You know, the first like month or so in a relationship, where everything is ideal. I'm currently in my honeymoon phase of a relationship. And, I'm enjoying it to the fullest before the shit hits the fan," Akari shrugged joyously. "You, my dear Harucchi, you're too paranoid for a honeymoon phase."

"E-eh?"

"Oh, yeah," Akari nodded.

"B-but how?" Haru's head dropped down, the girl looking positively miserable. "I don't _think_ I'm paranoid."

"And yet, you are," Akari shrugged. "I mean, most of the time, it's fine. I'm paranoid, too. It's like an essential quality in us girls. Self-preservation comes first, you know?" the girl shrugged, then squeezed her friend's hands gently. "But, you've got the unfortunate thing of being paranoid in the wrong _area_ of your life."

"You mean romantic relationships?" Haru tilted her head to the side.

"Relationships, in general, is more like," Akari winced as she said it, then patted the back of Haru's hands, before letting go of the girl and grabbing her lunch again. "You know how in those American TV shows there's always that one girl who gets super paranoid about her boyfriend, our total OTP one, cheating on her and makes a mess out of nothing, because he, in fact, wasn't cheating at all?" Haru was honestly impressed that Akari had managed to push all that out in one breath through her food, all the while waving her chopsticks about.

"Mhm."

"Well, you're that girl," Akari's chopsticks pointed straight in between Haru's eyes, making the girl go cross-eyed to follow the sharp tip. "Now listen to my advice, woman: _Don't_ be that girl." Haru frowned, following the chopsticks as they went back to Akari's food.

"But, but, Akari, how?"

"Push through it," Akari shrugged. "Fight your instincts. Kuroo-sempai isn't a bad guy. He really likes you, too, from what I've seen. So, now it's up to you not to fuck it all up." And Akari went back to eating her food, letting Haru explode all alone inside her head once more.

"Are we eating food on the roof now?" Ikki asked, joining the two girls on the floor. He ripped open the first of many anpan bags and dug in with gusto. When Haru didn't reply, he turned to Akari, pointing at their mutual friend. "She okay?"

"She's working on not being paranoid and destroying her relationship," Akari shrugged casually. "Dunno if we're doomed to the roof. I'm hoping to eat lunch with _Kenma_ _tomorrow_ ," the teen pointedly told to the other girl, but Haru didn't reply.

"Sooo, why should she not be paranoid?" Ikki asked through a mouthful, food flying everywhere.

"God, would you chew?" Akari complained, brushing off some of the wet crumbs from her uniform and tossing him a napkin. "Don't know what she did, but obviously she did something. She's in panic mode."

"I'm not," Haru finally spoke up in a low, defeated tone.

"What did you do?" Ikki asked.

"Ignored Kuroo on the ride to school and during practice," the girl replied, sounding more and more miserable with each word.

"Ouch," the basketball player winced. "What for?" Haru shrugged. "You don't like him anymore? I can not like him with you?" he politely offered. Haru shook her head, still not touching her lunch. "Want me to talk to him? Wait, did he pressure you into doing something you're not comfortable with?" Akari scoffed at that. "What, it's a valid question?"

"Please, Ikki, no offense to Kuroo-sempai, but he's a total cherry boy," the girl commented with a smirk.

"He's nice," Haru added. "It's me that's messed up."

"Oh, we're self-hating," Ikki nodded. "Do you need to be all dark and twisty now? I can be your darkness sister. We can go goth." Finally, Haru let out a small laugh. "I think I'd look fabulous with some black eyeliner and nail polish, come on."

"Please, don't enable her," Akari scolded, making Haru smile.

"Thanks, both of you," the girl said, picking up her lunch. "I'll do my best not to be all dark and twisty and buck up."

"That's the spirit!" Akari nodded, waving her chopsticks about yet again. "Oh, and by the way, I found a great yukata for the fireworks festival, so you lot had better not bail on me. I talked to Kenma about it, too, he's coming, as well." Haru was glad when Ikki picked up the topic easily, talking about how his mother had found him a kimono, as well, a grey one. Soon, they were talking about the perfect way they could meet up, to get dressed together, and then head out for the festival.

* * *

"Haru!" The very loud voice of Yamamoto Taketora made the crowd of the second-year corridor disperse in front of his form, opening like the Red Sea before Moses. Both of his arms were up in the air, pointing his index fingers at the bewildered half-half girl who stood in between her two friends, chatting. "I'm pretty sure the floor is lava!"

"Oh, crap!" Haru hissed, quickly looking right and left in panic as Yamamoto began counting down from five. "Ikki!" And Haru jumped on the tall boy's back without warning, making him scramble to grab her thighs and hold her up.

"Woah, what the-" Ikki exclaimed, stumbling.

"One!" Yamamoto yelled out, finally bursting into laughter. "Damn, girl, nice save! You're safe, the floor isn't lava anymore." Haru dropped from Ikki's back with a laugh, shaking her head.

"Sorry, Ikki," she told the boy, Yamamoto walking over to her and Akari. "We've been playing the 'floor is lava' challenge game since camp."

"Remember when Yaku jumped on a car?" Yamamoto asked, bursting out into laughter. Akari shook her head at them, walking away, hands in the air.

"You're all juvenile."

"Miss tight pants too chicken to play?" Yamamoto challenged, making her stop in her tracks.

"Excuse you?"

"I said, are you too chicken to play?"

"I'm not."

"Alright, Akari-chan is playing, too!" Yamamoto shamelessly smirked at the girl, who only then realized that she'd been easily baited.

"If you both jump on me, I'm gonna drop you," Ikki told the girls, laughing as Akari pouted.

* * *

Haru got home after a long day. And, she did mean long. Morning practice, then school, then work and finally, home. She was tired and simply wanted to go to bed. Satoshi had given her a new assignment to work on, along with a letter that had come for her at the studio address. Haru had determined that it was probably another request for her as a personal photographer and tossed it on the pile of schoolwork she would do later or tomorrow morning, opting to instead chill in front of the TV for a while.

Luckily, her time with Kuroo had been rather limited after her conversation with Akari and Ikki. When she'd had time to think about it, she'd realized that they had been right. Haru definitely had intimacy issues. From her bother who she used to be very close to barely being around to her sister being a total pain in her arse, and finally, to her parents who were almost never home, the girl was messed up. Abandonment issues, Akari had called them once or twice. But, that wasn't all. Haru was insecure. Majorly insecure.

In a world where being tiny, slim and very Japanese was the ideal beauty of a young woman, she was a half Cuban. She stood out in every way possible, from her eyes and hair to her figure. There was nothing 'normal' about her looks, and she was very aware of it. After all, she spent her time looking at Akari and Nana, and she'd spent her childhood being compared to the lovely Chihiro. It wasn't really odd that she'd developed some complexes.

But, her paranoia, as Akari called it, came from her inexperience, in her own opinion. When she'd had time to process the fact that she was now, once it was official that she was in a relationship, uncomfortable with Kuroo, with whom she'd always felt rather at ease, it had to be that. She simply didn't know how to behave as his girlfriend. She knew what to do with a boy when it came to friendship. After all, she had Ikki. She'd had Ikki for a long time. But, this was different.

So, Haru decided to deal with it the only way she knew how – with research. As one of her favorite American TV shows played in the background, the girl shamelessly Googled how to be a good girlfriend. She needed to know what was expected of this new position. She needed some lines as to what the job description entitled and what she should do.

When she was done researching, Haru relaxed a bit, eating some leftovers while watching TV. Indeed, she mused as she followed Meredith Grey's love life on the screen, she'd fallen back into her old routine. While at camp, she'd had those feelings again. It was like when she was out of her home, she became a different, more adventurous person. She took more risks and behaved instinctively. But, once she returned to her usual routine, she fell back into old habits. Practice, school, practice or work, study, sleep. There was little time for relationships. There was little time for feelings outside of her normal routine ones. The joy with Akari and Ikki. The excitement with the team. The loneliness at home. It was all a routine. And, somehow, her relationship with Kuroo had suffered because of that routine. So, she would do better. She _could_ do better.

So, when Haru turned off the TV, cleaned up, and went to change in her room, she kept looking at her phone. When she was finally in her PJs, loose hair and ready for bed, the girl grabbed the gadget and typed a quick message, sending it to Kuroo. With a lighter heart, Haru went to sleep, a smile on her face.

* * *

Haru woke up early and grabbed her phone almost instantly, texting a good morning with perhaps one too many emojis to Kuroo. Then, she walked down the stairs for breakfast. What she wasn't expecting was to find her father in the kitchen.

"Hey, spawn," Dari greeted with a grin, sipping his coffee.

"Morning," Haru greeted with a curious tilt of her head. "Do you have time off or are you just here for a change of clothes?" The girl grabbed herself some breakfast and sat down at the table, on the opposite side of her father.

"I've got a day, we're repacking before we go to Germany," he told her, flipping the newspaper. "Do you have anything planned for after school today?"

"Practice, but that's all," Haru replied, taking a break to drink some juice in between bites.

"Maybe I'll get to see you a bit, then," Dari grinned at her. "How's that boy treating you?" Haru promptly blushed.

"He's really good to me," she told her father. "Kuroo-sempai is really nice."

"Kuroo-sempai?" Dari asked, dropping the newspaper. "Why aren't you calling him by his first name?" Haru shrugged at that, blushing even more.

"It's weird," she said. "I'm used to calling him Kuroo-sempai. Besides, everyone else also calls him Kuroo."

"Oh, I see," Dari slowly picked up the newspaper again. "Well, then, I'll see you after practice?"

"Sure," Haru promised, jumping to her feet and putting her dishes in the sink. "I'm gonna go get ready for school."

* * *

"Yaku, the floor is lava!" Haru laughed when she saw the libero scramble to jump up something while Kai cackled in the background. Finally, the libero ended up climbing midway up one of the net poles, hanging onto it like a monkey.

"I'm safe, aren't I?" Yaku asked, his voice tight from the effort to hang onto the pole. But, all that Kai did was smirk and walk away. "Wait, tell me I'm safe! Kai! Come back!"

"The floor isn't lava anymore, you're safe," Haru shook her head with a smile, coming over to help the libero finish setting up the gym for volleyball practice.

"Thanks," Yaku landed on his feet, grabbing the net which he'd dropped in a rush to climb to safety. "That was just mean, I'm going to remember it," he growled, an evil spark in his eye. If there was one thing which this game had sparked in the team, it was competitiveness to come up with almost impossible places to present the challenge of lava floor. And, so far, it was working rather well.

"If it's any consolation, Taketora got me to climb onto Ikki's back yesterday," Haru laughed as they were setting up the net.

"On his back?" Yaku looked at her incredulously, pulling the net tighter on his side.

"Mhm, nowhere else to jump off the floor," Haru told him.

"Yamamoto is bringing up the serious game, now," the libero laughed. "You got that side?"

"All set here," the girl nodded, going for the bench to prepare the water bottles. Yaku followed her, plopping down to re-tie his sneakers.

"How are we looking for the Spring InterHigh?" the libero asked, not looking up from his task. Haru bit her lip, stacking towels and pairing them each up with a bottle of water.

"Lev needs to fix his spikes and Kenma needs to run more," she told him honestly.

"No way," Kenma tossed back as he passed, pushing a cart of balls. Yaku and Haru shared a look, laughing afterwards. As the practice started, Haru realized, though, that they may need more than just for Lev and Kenma to work harder. They needed something extra. That little spark to spice up their solid defense. With a frown, the girl bit her lip, thinking up how she could provide that fire.

* * *

Haru slipped off her outside shoes as she walked into her house, forgoing her slippers and instead walking into the living room barefoot. There, she found Dari lounging and watching an old match of his team on the TV. He had a notepad and a pen in his lap, as he usually did when he took notes on what could be improved in the future.

"Papa," Haru called out, getting him to pause the match and give her his full attention.

"Little spitfire," the large man spread out his massive arms, welcoming the girl to come and cuddle. Though, when he saw her expression, he let them fall down and sat up on the couch. "Is everything alright?"

"Papa, I want you to teach me how to be a better manager to the team," Haru said in a determined tone. Dari paused, then looked up at his daughter, his expression changing to a serious one.

"You haven't come to ask me that half-heartedly, have you?"

"No."

"My team leaves tonight for Germany," Dari said, leaning back deeper into the couch. He fixed his daughter with his eyes. "Come with us, if you want to learn." He gave her a second to digest the information, and then continued. "It's a week and a half for all the games we have scheduled. I can't promise it will be easy learning from me, but I'll pound all the knowledge I can into that thick skull of yours." Haru didn't reply, standing there in the dimly-lit room, the cogs in her brain spinning wildly. Then, she turned, ready to walk away. "Is that a no?"

"I'll come," she said, nodding with determination as she spun back to see her father well. "I'll call Akari so that she can take notes for me in school. And, I'll need you to send a note for me to be excused from classes during that period of time," the girl said.

"Alright," Dari nodded.

"Alright," Haru repeated, as if to convince herself that she was actually going. "I'll go pack a suitcase." She turned again to leave the room, before stopping and tossing one final question at her father. "When do we leave?"

"We leave at three in the morning, to catch the plane," he replied, turning to look at her. "I'll book you a seat."

"Okay," Haru nodded again, leaving the room. Halfway up the stairs, she stopped, then continued on her way to get ready. She would need to call Kuroo, as well.

* * *

 **I hope you all enjoyed!**

 **I just wanted to say that there was once a person who said how authors of certain ethnicity prefer to make OCs in their own image, and this is one of the reasons why Haru is half Asian and half Cuban, unlike me, who's all white. Do you guys think I'm doing alright with a PoC character? I totally wanna prove that statistic wrong for some reason!**

* * *

 **Reviews:**

 **MarvelDweeb:  
Thank you very much for the lovely review and welcome to the family!  
What can I say, I love unlikely pairings? KenAri is such a weird ship, but so easy to sail with hahhaha  
Best!**

 **Fahdza:  
Happy to make you cackle :D I wrote the first chapter as a kind of a laugh, but then continued a tad more seriously :P  
I hope you're having fun reading :D Welcome to the TetsuHaru family :D**

 **Godavariflowsby:  
Hey there, thanks so much for the review, and especially on the criticism! I love getting gentle criticism :D  
I promise to expand more on Haru and Hiro and why they're so messed up together. When I was writing those chapters I kind of wanted to give a little bit, but not too much, and leave it for later :) More to come on that drama front hehehehe  
I hope you enjoyed the update and thanks so much for calling me a good writer T_T That makes me cry tears of joy!**

 **Coolfire30:  
Awwww welcome back and no worries! You read and review when you feel like it, I'll accept the love and criticism anytime!  
I'm happy to have you pacing and laughing and screaming, but please don't have an aneurysm! No brain damage, please xD  
Hope you enjoyed the new chapter!**

 **YamamotoIsLife:  
Hi! Thanks for yet another lovely review :D  
I aim for pure gold with humor and I'm glad to be able to achieve my goals hehehehehe  
I think it's just that guest reviews take longer to post than logged in reviews? No worries, though, you message as many times as you like :D  
Haru the dickbreaker is my moment of pure gold xD I was laughing so badly while writing that xD  
Hope you enjoyed the update!**

 **Pau-13:  
Welcome to the story and thank you so much for the lovely review!  
I'm glad that you're enjoying my writing T_T That always helps me have confidence and write more!  
Best!**

 **AshleyEvans306715:  
Hey there! Thanks so much for the review, we're happy to have you in TetsuHaru :D  
What can I say, I aim a little for drama and a lot for relatability hahahha Haru and Kuroo turned out to be such a nice pair together, I'm very glad about that one :) Perfect balance of drama, fluff and smut, just like every relationship :P  
KenAri just kind of… developed? I had no say in that one, and I'm not even gonna defend myself xD They're so different and I love them together so much, I just couldn't help it xD There are lots of great fanfics about Kenma out there, I definitely support looking them up :D That boy deserves a lot of love, he's super sweet!  
Hope you enjoyed the update :)**

 **Bookdragonslayer:  
Hahahahaha fluff is my specialty :P That is, when I'm not writing teenage drama xD I love torturing my OCs a bit too much ahhahhaha  
Hope you enjoyed!**

 **Rosto'sGirl:  
Glad that you enjoyed the chapter with all the fluff! Kuroo is certainly the helpful type boyfriend xD Gosh, I want one of him, toooooo xD  
Hope you enjoyed the update!**

 **Valen Goncalvez:  
Hey there! Thanks so much for the review :D I'm glad that you enjoyed Kuroo being sweet :P Now, though, it's time for Haru to go a bit nuts xD**

* * *

Omake:

Kuroo's phone dinged and he grabbed it, looking at the screen. It was the fifth message he had received from Haru in the past day and a half and he was a little worried. Was invasion of the body snatchers really a thing? Because, he was pretty sure the girl had been taken over by some odd entity that insisted on sending him sweet texts.

 _Hope you're working hard for exams! Good luck!_

The message read, full of cheering and smiling emoji. Kuroo tilted his head to the side, inspecting the note. Truly, it was out of character for her. Even that morning, she'd greeted him with a hug on the train. And then, she'd given him a homemade bento. Something was wrong. Was she freaking out? She was probably freaking out about something.

"Phones away while studying," Kai scolded, looking up from the test he was working on. "Your own rules, Kuroo."

"I know," Kuroo quickly typed a 'thank you' back, stuffing his cellphone into his pocket. "I think Haru's freaking out about something," he told the two other seniors who were all sitting around the low table in Yaku's room.

"Freaking out?" the libero asked, happy to toss down his pen and forego the calculus he'd been struggling with. "How?"

"She was all weird and avoiding me yesterday and now she's sending me all of these encouraging and sweet texts with tons of emoji," Kuroo told them. "She sent me a good night and a good morning text. We've never done that. It's creeping me out."

"Ah, my ex did that after we had that incident," Kai mused.

"You mean after she cheated on you?" Yaku deadpanned. Kuroo winced at the words. Kai shrugged.

"Haru isn't like that, man, you don't have to worry about it," the wing-spiker said. "She wouldn't cheat." Kuroo scoffed.

"Don't even go there," the captain grabbed his pen again, ready to go back to work.

"Just talk to her, Kuroo," Yaku added, not even one bit ready to go back to the rigorous study-course they had arranged for themselves. "Haru tends to be in her head a lot and imagine worst-case scenarios. If you talk to her, I'm sure it'll all work out." Kuroo nodded, then smirked at the libero.

"Back to calculus, demon-paisen," the captain chuckled at the groan the libero gave. "No escaping that one, even if you want to discuss my relationship."

* * *

 **That's all for now folks!**


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